I'll be there for you
by MaitressedeSeine
Summary: Jareth has waited long enough...time has been his enemy and his aid. A new plan, an old love and one very patient Goblin King....JS Of course R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Don't sue.

Author's note: This is my very first fic ever, in any genre or subtext…so give it a chance:) I'd love reviews, as long as they're polite and constructive. Enjoy!

Chapter 1:

This was most certainly not his finest hour. Beyond the pale reaches of time and outside of all limited imagination, he'd done his utmost to give her what she wanted. The stars themselves winked their displeasure at his manipulations on the behalf of a starry-eyed and ungrateful girl, who'd charged through his trap undaunted and unaware of the lengths he'd gone to enchant her. The raven haired little beauty that ruined his kingdom and his heart, forever. He doubted she could fathom the depths of the tragedy. Not her. Not his impetuous and precocious favorite; she was oblivious to him. Impervious even.

He'd offered her everything. She'd refused. The thought alone left the bitter taste of defeat hovering over his tongue and the crushing weight of rejection in his heart. She, a mere slip of a girl, had no idea just how deep the cut of that that refutation ran. He was a king. He was a force of nature, powerful, proud and prodigious. He'd never needed to impress anyone in all his long life and yet…this girl, this lovely, fanciful creature had brought him low.

What more could she have asked of him? What would it take to assuage her cravings? She asked of him and he acted. She desired and he gifted. She plead and he was merciful. By all the light in her green eyes, he'd done everything she wanted of him! Did he need to wind every one of her precious dreams into his hair, just so she'd truly see what he was offering her? In her world, she was mortal. She was enchanting, charming and carefree but she would never be more than fodder for time. He could make her so much more; give her so much more, if she would only have opened her heart to him.

Did he ask for too much? After everything he'd done for her, all he'd been through she'd said the words that sealed his fate. _You have no power over me._ What did he expect? She was only a girl and yet, he felt his world become a hollow, empty cavern of despair without her sweet voice to fill its chambers. Couldn't she see that? Even in her own naïve mind, couldn't she see how hard he'd tried to please her? Selfish is what she was. Cruel, taunting, ungrateful and ignorant; she was all of this and more.

_You have no power over me._

She was a fool. He would have made her a queen. She would have been prized more greatly than all the jewels in all of the kingdoms in any world. She would have been his light, his sanctuary, his prize…if only. If only she would have embraced him, even once. It would have been enough to satiate this nothingness in his soul.

In sleep she was a marvel, his tormentor. Oblivious to her surroundings, wrapped tightly and comfortingly in those dreams he would have gladly made a reality. Her inky hair fanning about her pillow like a dark halo, her tiny fingers tucked beneath her angelic face; she was the most arresting sight he'd ever laid eyes on. Rosy lips tilted into a smile, her dark lashes resting against those elegant cheekbones. It was all he could do to restrain himself. How long had he watched her like this? How long had he been visiting her while she slept and dreamt of her resounding victory? Too long. If there was ever a moment when she did not consume his thoughts day and night, he couldn't remember it. From the first moment he laid eyes on her in her favorite park, playacting for a dog, he'd ached to be near her. His Sarah. His little obsession.

She rolled in her sleep, throwing a leg out from beneath the covers with a sigh. Her brows drew together as if by his very presence, her dreams had turned sinister. Unable to help himself, he smoothed a gloved finger over her cheek. Not satisfied with this faint contact, he withdrew his gloves and traced her soft skin with bare fingers.

What wouldn't he have done, if it were a touch she invited?

His insides raged. It was all he could do not to wrap her in his cloak and take her Underground, where she belonged. He most likely would've already done so a thousand times past were it not for one simple, stupid thing.

_You have no power over me._

His sigh was heavy and filled with years of frustration. "You little fool. I asked for so little." He lifted a stray lock of her hair and held it against his mouth. "It seems I would still be your slave, Sarah."

But not yet. No. He wouldn't give everything to her now, not so easily. She'd reduced his hopes to ashes for her pleasure. Displaced his soul with a toss of that glorious hair and ground her heal over his heart. And he'd let it happen. He'd let her do it.

"Not this time." He whispered above her lips, daring himself to drop the last couple of inches and appease the yearning in his blood. But he would not. He, Jareth the Goblin King and Lord of all the Underground would not surrender his pride to such weakness. At least, not yet. No. He would make her suffer for him first. He would guarantee that his very image would be burned into her memory until the end of time. She would ache for his voice, his touch, and his mercy. And what a mercy it would be, for him. Oh to live and bask himself in the sunlight of her smile, an end to pining for her heartbeat beneath his own. The temptation was a heady and palpable thing but he would not rush it again.

Where once she was a near-child, barely cresting sixteen years: Sarah was now grown. The same rules need not apply. The stakes of this game would definitely be higher. This time, he would not cater to her every childish whim for fear of frightening her away. She was a woman now, and there were no babes to barter against her dreams. There would be no escaping her fate, this time. He may be the beggar by her bedside now but soon, she would finally become the prize he'd sought all these long years. She would belong to him, body and soul.

"Oh Sarah, I warned you that I could be cruel."

With one last lingering look, he tore himself from her side and strode toward her window ledge. The night air was unseasonably warm and caressed his face like a lovers breath. Bathed in moonlight he paused, preparing himself for flight.

"Happy birthday Sarah." His voice was soft as he disappeared into the night but it had the desired effect.

Sarah's eyes snapped open, taking stock of her surroundings with all the wariness of one startled from sleep. Her room was empty, save for the pale glare of the moon as it shone through her open window. Rubbing the back of her eyelids with one hand, she rose and crossed to the casing. Her heart beat furiously in her ears, although she had no idea why she'd woken so suddenly and with such a sense of foreboding. _What's the matter with me?_ She thought, carefully closing and fastening the window she knew she hadn't left open on purpose. It must have been the strong moonlight that had shocked her awake. It was so bright in her room; she might as well have left a light on. Reaching up to draw the curtains, she felt something soft brush against her naked foot. Groggily she scooped the object into her palm, willing her brain into focus. Once the realization of what it was dawned one her, she dropped it again and backed hastily into her bed, her blood racing.

A single, overlarge and snowy white owl feather flitted back toward the floor by her window. The sight brought a trembling hand to her lips. _It couldn't be._ She reassured herself and yet, what on earth would it be doing there otherwise? She took a deep breath, telling herself that she was being ridiculous and then she heard it. As fleeting and minimal as an indrawn breath…she heard his voice in the crevices of her consciousness.

_Happy Birthday Sarah. _

She spent the morning of her twentieth birthday sitting bolt upright in her bed, dreading that she was losing her wits and fearing the voices of an imagined past.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nada. Sue me not!

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! They mean so much. I will update this story as often as possible, being that I work two jobs and go to school full time (anyone who wants to dress like me for a day or two and head off to either one…will be my hero!). I hope it's a fun read. I'm working very hard on keeping the characters in character. Please let me know if that doesn't seem to be working. Enjoy!

Chapter 2:

"Hurry up Sarah! We're going to be late." Karen called from downstairs, with an audible smile in her voice. Her stepmother loved having her home for special occasions. It was about the only time she could drag her dad out of the house without a grumble. Before Sarah left for college, they'd had plenty of occasions to slip outdoors together since she would always volunteer to stay home with Toby. But now that she lived in a dorm a hundred miles away, the pair had become fairly home bodied. Sarah's homecomings were always quite the event in the Williams household. Karen constantly pulled out all the stops, pleased to be able to prove to Sarah that she did indeed care for her despite the rocky start they'd had. It was easy to see what a good person Karen truly was, now that Sarah wasn't blinded by a childish sense of displacement. What had been a constant battle of wits was now a healthy and rewarding friendship and Sarah loved her stepmom for her patience.

Tonight's elaborate plan was to attend the Opera in Boston. Karen had reserved balcony seats for a presentation of Faust, Sarah's favorite. Lord only knew how she'd gotten the tickets so easily, since they were pricey and usually sold out long before the event. But then again, Karen always prided herself on being crafty. Toby was at her grandparent's house for the big night. Her dad didn't feel that a story about a man who sells his soul to the devil for immortality, would be suitable viewing for a five year old.

"Coming! Just finishing up." She cried, applying another layer of concealer beneath her shadowed eyes. She hadn't slept much last night, due to the little shock discovered beneath her windowsill. _You're being ridiculous. _She reminded herself, for the thousandth time. Her overactive imagination had been prone to getting her into trouble, more often than not. After all, hadn't it been that imagination that dreamt up the entire Labyrinth scenario in the first place? She was jumping at the shadows in her own mind. Again. The feather could have been from anything. It wasn't like she was attending college for a degree in Biology or anything, so what did she know about bird species?. It could've been a turkey feather left over from one of Toby's school plays. He did play Hiawatha last month. He'd been so cute with all those feathers sticking out around his head at odd angles. She was sure the feather came from the makeshift headdress she and Karen and thrown together over her last visit. It had to be. Besides, it was summer. Wasn't it a little warm for a snowy owl to be hanging around her neighborhood? _Only if it was really an owl._ She shook her head to clear it. She needed to forget about the incident and enjoy her birthday. It wasn't everyday one turned twenty! If only her mom had lived to see her spitting image into adulthood. What stories they could have told one another. It had taken Sarah a long time to come to terms with her mother's death to cancer and her father's subsequent remarriage but she was grateful for the ability to reminisce without those negative feelings she used to harbor against all the changes in her life. Her mother had loved her and her father very much and they'd loved her. She would've wanted the both of them to be happy. Now that Sarah was a grown woman, following in her mother's artistic footsteps, she felt she understood her mother better. When you came down to it, Karen had a lot in common with her mom. They were both patient to a fault, charismatic and charming. They both had a way of brightening a room just by entering it. It took a while but now Sarah could see these similarities between them in a positive light and felt her mother's blessings deep inside her heart. She'd let go of her bitterness long ago.

All it took was a thirteen-hour visit to an imaginary world. Life was not fair but that's the way it was. You couldn't change your world for the better by being negative about it. Ever since that crazy dream, Sarah's family…her dad, Karen and most of all Toby, became the most important commodity in her life. Her attitude changed overnight. The next morning when she came downstairs for breakfast, Karen dropped a plate in shock at the affectionate hug the girl gave her. From that day to this, Karen would do anything for her. And Sarah would do anything for her baby brother. Sweet little Toby, who she would have wished away, had the dream been real. It's funny how your conscience can manifest itself into a colorful and much needed lesson.

_You say that so often. I wonder what you're basis for comparison is._

That voice. The very same voice she heard last night. Was it possible to have a waking-reoccurring dream? If not, how could she have remembered the timbre of his voice otherwise? _It was only a dream, Sarah. Stop being silly._ She commanded herself. But how do you fight against your subconscious? The voice coupled with the feather was a blow. How could the two have happened at once? She didn't believe in coincidence and yet, what else could explain it? There was no Goblin King. He was just a character in an old book her mother had given her. It was laughable at best for her to imagine that he'd invaded her room last night. His swaggering, supercilious self was just a figment of a lonely girl's overtaxed imagination. He didn't exist. And yet, how did his voice jolt her awake in the middle of the night? Coupled with the feather and the goose bumps running down her spine, the two became coincidence. A coincidence she normally would not believe in.

_Happy birthday Sarah._

The voice whispered against her ear, as if the imaginary figure were bent over her with an arrogant smirk. She shivered again just thinking of it.

_There is one thing you're not thinking of. What if it was real? What if the Labyrinth wasn't dream? What if it all really happened?_

Nonsense. She wouldn't allow herself to believe it. It was ludicrous.

_Name any other 'dream' that has stayed so vividly with you for so long_.

Her conscience wasn't supposed to argue this much. It was beginning to piss her off.

"Hell with it. I have better things to do." She grumbled aloud just as Karen stepped into the room. Her pretty blonde eyebrows lifted into her hairline.

"What's bothering you honey? Would you rather go somewhere else tonight?" Her tone belied impending hurt.

Sarah laughed and gave the older woman a spine-crushing hug. "Of course not! I'm so excited I could almost burst!" She said with a beaming grin. "I was just struggling with the bags under my eyes. I can't seem to get enough concealer to hide them. Do they look obvious to you?"

Karen stepped back and eyed her stepdaughter's face with a smile. "I don't see a thing honey. You look lovely!" She squeezed Sarah's arm reassuringly. "But, you know…you could use a little jewelry."

"Really?" Sarah said, twirling around toward her vanity with a frown. "I didn't have anything that I thought would look good with this dress." Tsking, she rummaged through her drawers looking for her nearly forgotten costume jewelry. She did have a little black beaded chain that might look good as a choker. That would have to do.

"Maybe this would suffice." Karen said laying a hand on her shoulder. Sarah looked up into the mirror at a beautiful silver locket dangling from her stepmother's fingers. The older woman's smile brought tiny crinkles to the corners of her watering eyes.

"Oh!" Sarah exclaimed, while the locket was fastened around her neck. It was a dainty piece strung on a light silver rope and sparkled like a star against Sarah's skin.

"Go ahead. Look inside." Karen knelt eagerly beside her. Sarah's newly manicured nails parted the little clasp, her eyes filling with liquid. Inside were two miniature photos. One was of her mother, taken sometime in her youth. She was laughing, her black hair so like her daughter's, flying free about her shoulders. The other was of Karen and Sarah taken on her eighteenth birthday.

"Do you like it? The locket belonged to my mom. She gave it to me so I could give it to my own daughter one day." She smiled at her through the mirror. "I know I'll never replace your mom honey but I do think of you as my own little girl. This way, you're mom and I both can always watch over you." She kissed Sarah's cheek.

"Thank you so much Karen. I'll never take it off!" They hugged and pulled away, wiping tears from their faces.

"Oh would you look at us. We're ruining our makeup." She laughed, standing up and smoothing her blonde hair. "Your father is waiting for us in the car. We'd better shake our tail feathers or he's like to go without us. I'll go distract him while you finish up." She turned to leave but Sarah's voice stopped her at the door.

"Karen. I know I don't say it enough but I love you. Very much. Just wanted you to know that."

Karen winked. "I know honey. I love you too." She said and disappeared down the hall.

Sarah thanked all the powers that be for bringing the two of them together finally. Her life would be a sad thing if it weren't for the love and support of a woman she used to believe she despised. Fate can be odd that way. She ran a finger over the gift and smiled to herself in the mirror. Banishing all dark thoughts of Goblins and their cruel kings out of her mind, she grabbed her coat and turned to leave. This was going to be a wonderful birthday. She wasn't going to let _him_ ruin it for her.

On her way out the door, she failed to notice a single red rose sitting silently atop her bureau. Tied with a glittering black ribbon, the perfect petals concealed a small bit of parchment penned in an antiquated script. The hasty girl neglected to observe the message scrawled there in challenge to her dismissive musings.

_I move the stars for no one._

The letter promised as if with a knowing smile. She may have neglected to glance in its direction but it made no difference. The letter would be waiting, when at last she returned. And so her musings will have been as nothing. The letter was a promise and a warning. This time, she would have no doubt.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing. If you sue me, you won't get much..lol.

Author's note: These reviews are making my day! Thanks you guys so much:) I will do my damndest not to disappoint! As I'm reading through here and there, I've noticed that I've been making a few type errors. I apologize in advance for any frequent recurrences. I promise to pay more attention to editing. Enjoy!

Chapter 3:

What a night! Faust was always Sarah's favorite opera because of its inherent dark theme. A foolish, miserly old doctor muses about his youth and makes a regrettable deal with the devil to reclaim it. Only, in the end does he realize that his life has had a purpose and now that it was about to end; he would be reunited with those he left behind in the great hereafter. In the final scene, he prays to God to forgive him and with His blessing, the devil is defeated and the doctor is welcomed into heaven. She loved it. That kind of story was so moving to her. In a way, she almost identified with the doctor. Why, if she hadn't mended her ways and embraced her life, she might have ended up the same way.

Kicking her heels off, she spun around her room and flounced on her childhood bed. The Escher drawing still hovered over her head, reminding her of the battle for her own soul. She traced a finger over one upside-down stairwell and sighed. Giggling, she noticed the two Christian Slater posters she hung above it when she was seventeen. Next to those, her toy shelf still imposing on her wall, collecting dust. The place of honor in the center where Lancelot once dwelled was now empty being that she'd given him to Toby all those years ago. He was aged and looking the worse for wear now, with his stitching coming apart in all the wrong places but Toby wouldn't be parted from him and Sarah was happy that he'd found a good home.

Her dad didn't know what to make of the opera but took it all in stride. It was a bit gloomy for his taste. He prized musicals like Oliver over any foreign speaking melodramas but she and Karen had a blast. After the show, the three of them went out to eat at a fancy French restaurant downtown. She and Karen split a massive portion of Chicken Coq Au'vin while her dad mumbled over the price. On the ride home he'd patted her hand and told her to open the present beneath his seat. In a stark white envelope with her name on it, were two tickets to London. She would be gone the entire month of November! He said it was half an early graduation present and half for her birthday. She was so excited. London! It was a dream come true. She'd always wanted to go there. Her mother used to go sometimes as much as three times per year with her theatre company and would always come home with a hundred knick-knacks and stories aplenty for bedtime. Nearly every treasured thing in her room had been a gift from one of those theatrical adventures her mother went on.

She couldn't wait to tell her friends at school! They would all be so happy for her. It was a shame that she couldn't stow the entire drama department into a suitcase and heft them along with her. She smiled at the thought of all the fun they would have getting into trouble over the Big Pond. Especially Dianne and Mary. Those two were born to stir things up. Mark and Jamie were great people too; only they were the responsible duo that would surely do their best to keep the group in line. However, there was only one person she would actually take and that had to be Leah. They'd been friends for nearly six years, were roommates and partners-in-crime. Having Leah around in London would definitely make up for missing the others. The pair would spend nearly all of their time between museums and this or that playhouse. That was just their style. Leah was a second-year English major, whose parents lived just around the block from the Williams residence. She been Sarah's only real friend back home besides her baby brother. When the girls went off to college, they vowed to stick together and help the other get through it all. Sarah only had two more years to go before she got her degree in Screenwriting and it was mostly thanks to the endurance and fortitude of her roommate. Lord knows, if she had to do it all alone she would have failed miserably. London would be a great way to say thank you to an old friend. She resolved to call her first thing in the morning. She couldn't wait to hear Leah freak out.

A smile played at her lips while she stood up and changed into her pajamas. The vicious hair clip that had plagued her scalp all night met an untimely demise while pulling it out of her hair. There went another one. The springs always seemed to snap because her hair was so damned thick. She tossed it into the trash with the previous two from this week and rummaged through her dresser for a clean t-shirt. 'Pajamas' for Sarah always meant panties and t-shirt. Settling on a worn white tee with a picture of Shakespeare watermarked onto the front, she tugged the garment over her head bumping clumsily into her bureau. Something fell, making a soft 'thwack' as it hit the carpet beneath. Tying her hair into a bun, she knelt down to retrieve whatever it was and froze.

The singularly most beautiful rose she'd ever seen had struck the floor, losing some of its still dew-ridden petals. It was tied with a shiny black ribbon, laid across what appeared to be a piece of yellowed parchment. Scrawled over the paper in an elegant hand, was a phrase that stopped the blood cold in her veins.

_I move the stars for no one._

She sucked in her breath and backed away like she'd startled a rattlesnake to action. A shaking hand flitted to her temple as she tried to reason out what she was seeing. It was impossible! Was she seeing things? How the hell had this thing gotten into her room? She whirled around looking for any sign of who might have done such a thing. There on her windowsill sat the feather and with that vision came last night's apprehension. Her breath came in short gasps. What did this mean? Was she going crazy? It couldn't be real! It just couldn't. Every memory she had of that crazy dream slammed through her brain all at once, causing her knees to weaken beneath her. She slid to the floor, staring at the parchment in shock.

_None of those things happened Sarah. It was your imagination. Just the vivid dream of a lonely girl._

"I hadn't realized it was so easy to bring you to your knees, Sarah." Said a liquid yet familiar voice from just behind her. She whipped her head around so fast, she was sure to have a permanent crick. There, stood one impeccably dressed and arrogantly amused Goblin King, looking exactly as he did the first time she clapped eyes on him.

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed, jumping to her feet. His mismatched gaze appraised her sardonically.

"Not quite. Although, you're welcome to make the assumption."

Her back slammed against the dresser painfully, her eyes widened near to bulging. This was impossible! She'd dreamed it all dammit! How was he standing here in her bedroom when she's made him up? She must really be losing her mind!

"You…you're not real!"

He smirked, patting his chest in mock examination. "Am I not? I hadn't realized."

It took several seconds of indrawn breath before she could trust her voice to speak without quavering. Her eyes burned from not blinking.

"This can't be happening."

"Oh it can't can it? Whyever not? Surely you're not foolish enough to believe me a figment of your imagination, when here I stand as living proof?" The amusement in his voice at her expense was almost touchable in its voracity. She swallowed, hard.

"Wha... What do you want?"

Those impressive eyebrows lifted ever so slightly. "No pleasantries then? I'm hurt Sarah, really. Not even an 'hello' for an old friend?"

"Even if you are real and not just some hallucination, we were most certainly not friends!" She retorted vehemently. A girl had to draw a line somehwere.

He laughed, dryly. "How very cruel of you my dear, when I have ever only done what you asked for." His fingers tapped idly against his shirtfront. An odd expression frozen on his finely chiseled face.

"You kidnapped Toby, drugged me and set the Cleaners after me! I'd hardly call those the actions of a friend." Her hands balled into fists at her sides. She trembled but refused to show him any further weakness. He strode toward her, hand on hip. His face inches from her own. His cloak swept across her bare feet.

"May I remind you that you asked for the child to be taken: I took him. You seem to forget that often. Neither, were you harmed by a single creature once in the Labyrinth and any claims to the contrary are just ridiculous."

Sarah winced, despite herself. "What about number three? You drugged me so I would forget about my brother! I'd call that 'harm'."

"Really?" He asked, lighting a gloved finger over her jawbone. She pulled away sharply, causing his eyes to darken. "Apparently, you are no authority on the subject my dear."

He laughed, stepping apart from her. "Whatever am I to do with you Sarah? You defy me at every opportunity."

_Get a hold of yourself Sarah!_ She commanded herself silently. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she willed her nerves into submission. She couldn't reason her way through this if she was hysterical. Praying that he would be gone when she opened them, she cracked her eyelids. No such luck. He was paying inordinate attention to Mr. Slater on her wall. His frown was severe but he said nothing.

"Okay. Let's handle this logically. Why are you here? What more could you possibly stand to gain by scaring the wits out of me like this?" She asked, hoping her voice was sound.

"Perhaps I just missed you?" Seeing her glare, he crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. His lips tilted at the corners. Was he ever not amused at her expense? The bastard. "You and I have unfinished business."

She snorted in a very unladylike manner. "What are you talking about? I won remember? Our 'business' is concluded."

"Oh? How is it that you are so sure? Perhaps like all beaten rivals for a victory, I'm entitled to a, how do you say it in slang? A rematch? Although, this time I fear the odds are stacked against you."

Her mouth nearly struck her chest. "But I won! I beat you fair and square."

The Goblin King shrugged. "Technically, you won yes. But you forget that I'm a king and one that's not accustomed to failure, especially when the victor couldn't have won a thing without assistance. You would have no aid a second time."

"I won't run your Labyrinth again. Ever." She vowed from between clenched teeth. "Go away!" She attempted to turn and run into her bathroom but he was suddenly before her, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her hard against him.

"I don't recall saying anything of the sort, you silly girl. There are other challenges to be discovered in the Underground."

"What are you saying? Let me go!" She struggled, causing him to wrap her more tightly to him. Overwhelmed by his nearness, let alone his presence, Sarah bit back a sob. Why was this happening to her? On her birthday of all days?

"I have a much better plan this time around, Sarah." She screwed her eyes shut as his breath dusted across her cheek. Every hair on her body stood on end. "You only have one obstacle to surmount this time, love. Don't you want to know what it is?" His lips slid gently over her left ear. A helpless sigh escaped her traitorous mouth. She could feel his smile next to her skin.

"Why are you doing this? Can't you just leave me alone?" She pleaded on a whisper.

"Never. Not you my sweet Sarah. I have something special reserved for you."

Swiftly, she felt a rush of something heavy pass over and through her. It was a feeling much like falling. Disoriented, she clung to her only support: Jareth, the Goblin King.

She felt sunlight on her back and birds chirping all around her and knew, that she was not imagining anything. She was in terrible trouble. She opened her eyes to witness a triumphant grin on his face. Behind him, the Labyrinth beckoned like an imposing nightmare bathed in daylight. They stood on the exact spot they had the first time she'd seen the monstrosity. Her hand unwittingly found her mouth. It was all real! She hadn't imagined anything! The heartbeat she had to be thrilled with the knowledge that she wasn't a lunatic, slid away the second she re-met his mismatched eyes.

"Welcome home Sarah. I think you'll find that things have changed since your last visit."

"How so?" She returned, masking the gut-wrenching fear in her voice to the best of her ability.

"This time," He began smoothly. "I have no intention of letting you go."

Ahhh...this one didn't flow as easily as the last two. I hope the struggle wasn't too noticeable. lol. Time for me to get some much needed sleep...I promise to try harder next time;)


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Nope…I don't own a thing…except for Mr. Bowie! Back up off my Kool-aid girls! Lol.

Author's note: Keep those reviews coming! I love them and they keep me inspired. Thanks for the head's up Snapedreamer; I will do my best to shape it up;) Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've been killing myself at work and school and haven't had a lot of time to do anything fun. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. Enjoy!

Chapter 4:

Sarah stood at the gates of the Labyrinth, warmed by sunlight and cooled by terror. Jareth couldn't help smiling to himself at her discomfort. If he had anything to say about it, she would become quite acquainted with the feeling. Still, she was holding up admirably despite the seriousness of the occasion. There was a moment when he thought she was going to break down into hysterical sobs but again, his little Sarah had surprised him. One thing was certain; she was ever an enigma to him. His chest tightened in spite of his head's commands to be impassive. He frowned. It wouldn't do to show her any weakness. He was the infamous Goblin King, he must ever live up to her expectations…musn't he?

"You've definitely grown since last you were here, my dear." He said, noticing the length and shapeliness of her legs and the rise and fall of her heavy breasts beneath her thin, over-used shirt. Her head snapped around at the remark, realization of her state of dress coloring her cheeks most becomingly. He made no effort to apologize for his suggestive tone. His eyes took her in from the tips of her naked toes to her flashing green eyes and back again. An approving but lascivious smile was her only reward.

"You bastard!" She cried, attempting in vain to increase the length of her shirt by tugging it down. It wasn't helping. In fact, the movement only accentuated the shape of her fascinating new curves. Jareth's palms near itched to remove the paltry items and have a proper look. He shrugged, keeping his face utterly neutral.

"No use trying to hide it all now. I've already had an eye full. A most pleasing one at that."

Her cheeks burned red. Swallowing hard, she closed her eyes and turned her head to the side. "Look all you want, you sick son of a bitch. You don't know how happy it makes me to amuse you." Her voice grasped at her dignity through sarcasm. He couldn't help but laugh.

"Delightful use of language Sarah. I'm surprised at you. Where is that charming, innocent young girl I once knew, hmm? If she were here, she would be appalled by your manners."

She turned blazing green eyes in his direction. "If SHE were here, she would be just as pissed as me! What the hell am I doing here again Jareth?" She spit, glaring at him as if he were the lowest of creatures. Part of his body responded to her use of his name, although it was spoken in anger. It would be his luck that the first time she'd ever use it; it would be uttered like a curse. He had to halt the disappointment he felt by reminding himself that it was he who'd brought this situation to pass. Still, it was the only way he could get her back. He had to be cruel. It was what she demanded of him.

"In honor of your birthday, I've come up with a most generous offer for you. A new challenge, if you will. One in which you'll find the prize beyond your wildest dreams."

There. For a single heartbeat, he'd seen something flash over her face. Was it interest, or fear? He couldn't be sure but he had an inkling. His adventurous obsession still dwelt in the fortress behind those emerald eyes. He would have been sorely disappointed if her life Aboveground had ruined her love of riddles. Interesting.

"I won't run the Labyrinth again, I told you. Besides, you can't keep me here anyway. You haven't got a stolen relative of mine to bargain with this time. I beat you, remember?"

"Yes, you defeated my Labyrinth and won back your infant brother. You have won the respect and admiration of the whole Underground for doing so but there is still one element you have yet to fully understand."

Her eyebrows met. "And that is…"

He stepped closer to her, giving her a dose of his mismatched gaze. "You haven't defeated me." He turned, waving his hand at the largesse of the Labyrinth. "This as it turns out wasn't a match for you youth and charm, Sarah. It seems that the very stones themselves conspired to aid you in your quest. Such is the power you have over its denizens. Not one person in a thousand years could boast of such, you know. You and your friends turned the Labyrinth and my plans on their proverbial ears. How frustrating it was to watch you ease through each obstacle as if they were made of something as insubstantial as air." He paused, smiling to himself with the memory. "And yet, you still have not proven that you're a match for me, personally. So here I stand, feeling the weight of my throne and wonder, could you vanquish me as easily?"

She shifted, looking perplexed. "What're you talking about?"

"I'm curious, if our situations were reversed if you would have the ability to stop me before I claimed what I want from you."

She laughed. The sound was sweet enough to raise the temperature of his blood. He craved that sound, more than any other. Her joy had always been his deepest pleasure. If he could bottle it, he would carry it on his person at all times, as a reminder of the truth of beauty in his dark, empty world.

"So you're going to run the Labyrinth and I get to play dress up and do whatever I can to mess up your life?"

He gave her a look that halted her sarcastic grin. "Not quite. I was thinking something much more difficult than that, Sarah. What would you say if I wagered that you couldn't stop me, even if all the power and influence of my post were yours?"

"What do you mean? Stop you from what?"

"If you were to rule the Labyrinth for one month's time, unaided by outsiders or counsel…I would grant you anything your heart desires."

Her face went white with shock. She backed up a little, momentarily forgetting her that her shirt rode over hips when released. "You can't be serious?"

Paying particular attention to her softly rounded bottom, he nodded. "Of course I'm serious. When have I ever been anything but? There would be guidelines though, very strict, which would result in forfeiture if broken and having no magic as well should be difficult enough on its own."

Her lips puckered and a faraway look crossed her features as she considered him. "You're not going to take me home, are you?"

He snorted. "Of course not. If you refuse the challenge or attempt to walk out on your post before the allotted time is up, that will also result in forfeiture."

"But that's not…"

"Fair? Really Sarah. I thought you were past all of this."

"So I have no choice? You come into my home in the middle of the night after years of letting me believe you were just an imaginary monster and expect me to submit to your ridiculous challenge on a whim? And on my birthday no less! Well you can forget it! I want to go home Jareth, now." Her voice was laced with the steel of resolve.

Jareth felt a twinge of something he could barely have hoped for. Had she missed him? Had she been hoping he would reveal himself to her over the years? It was a thought he tucked away for later examination but the idea itself greatly improved his spirits.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible Sarah. You must answer the challenge. Unless of course you forfeit?"

She whirled on him. "What exactly happens if I do forfeit?"

Jareth allowed every unseemly thought he had about her current state of undress leek into his smile. "Why, you'll be a subject of the Underground Sarah and as such, mine to do with as I please."

Her face went white as cotton. "You can't be serious. That's barbaric! That's completely medieval. That's…"

"My right as a king my dear. You see, the laws you are accustomed to make no difference to us here. In the Underground, I'm the law. I can do whatever I wish to and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it."

Forgetting every semblance of self-consciousness, Sarah grabbed his shirtfront and forced her face into his. His blood roared in his veins at the contact, yet his face remained carved of marble. "You. Can't. Do. This. I'm a human being and I have rights godammit! I am not a toy for you to pick up or discard at will, you slimy, underhanded, sore loser! Send me home immediately or I will make it my mission in life to make you miserable. So help me god! You just try and keep me here and I'll make you wish you'd never heard my name." Her eyes practically glowed with fury. The wind whispered past her, blowing a dark lock of her hair across his cheek. For a moment, he was actually intimidated by the intensity of her beauty. The light perfume wafting from her skin assailed his senses, causing him to swallow inelegantly.

"I have no doubt that you can make me miserable Sarah." Something, perhaps guilt, lowered her lashes and released her menacing grip. Still, she did not turn from him. She held her ground despite the piercing look he gave her. "However, I can keep you here whether you like it or not. Without my help, unfair or not, you can never return home. So, what's it to be my dear? Do you accept my challenge or not?"

She sighed. "What happens if I lose? What happens if I fail to be a good…erm, ruler?"

He had her. He knew it. She knew it. He chuckled heartily causing her to blush to the roots of her hair. "Ah. Well, as much as I would enjoy making you my personal subject it would hardly befit your station as the only person to ever defeat the Labyrinth. I believe my goblins would readily accept you as queen." He paused, watching her eyes widen in amazement. "One way or the other, I mean to keep you here Sarah. Only you can decide in which capacity that will be. Slave or queen? Which would you prefer?"

"Let me get this straight. You're saying that if I refuse to play this stupid game, I'll be your little toy or whatever but if I choose to accept your challenge…you'll make me your queen? That doesn't sound right. Are you insane?"

"No. I'm merely being practical. You see either way, you'll be humiliated, cowed and beholden to me. Hence, I win. The possibilities are limitless."

"Not if I accept and you lose, again. Why me? Why go to so much trouble to have power over me? Why couldn't you just leave me alone?" She said, her voice gone quiet.

Jareth lifted her errant lock of hair and gently tucked it behind her ear. "I should think the answer to that question an obvious one."

She backed away slightly, enough to give him the full effect of her narrowed green eyes. "You're on. I don't like it and I don't like you but I don't have a choice do I? All right Jareth, I accept your challenge. I will make you sorry you ever dreamed up this whole hair-brained scheme in the first place by kicking your royal ass."

"That's the spirit we've missed. I wonder if you have any idea how difficult this is going to be for you?"

She shrugged and faced the Labyrinth with renewed enthusiasm. "I'm sure it'll be a piece of cake. So what are you going to be doing while I'm being a better ruler than you?"

Jareth's eyebrows lifted at the sauciness of her tone. "Why I'll be undermining your authority at every opportunity of course by doing what I do best."

Her expression darkened. "What do you mean?"

"Let's just say that I can be very distracting."

"Distracting how?" The suspicion in her voice didn't deter him from pulling her roughly against him and slamming his mouth down on hers. Her startled moan nearly weakened his resolve as he slid his tongue inside the sweetness between her lips. One hand wrapped itself tightly around her waist and the other grasped at the silken mass of her hair at the base of her neck. At first she tried to struggle but as his lower hand slid across her lower back, pressing her against the length of his body, she whimpered and was forced to cling to him for support. Losing himself in the in her mouth and the curves of her body, he slid his lips and tongue across her jawbone and against her throat finding her pulse and taking the slightest of nips against he soft skin. Her breathing became labored; her hands finding a resting place on his chest above his heart. She leaned into him, arching her neck to give him better access. For the briefest moment, he considered abandoning his plan and finishing what was promising to be the most satisfying event he'd ever started. For a moment anyway.

Just as Sarah's lips came forward to brush against his collarbone she was suddenly off balance and alone. Her knees buckled beneath her, sending her trembling body to a harsh stone floor. Startled, she looked up. Jareth was gone and she was inside the throne room of his castle. The floor she occupied was filthy and unkempt, practically brimming with the refuse and years of neglect. All around her were goblins perched with curious and knowing eyes, staring down and her disheveled and severely undressed form. They were all silent, expectant, waiting. As if waiting for her to jump up and explain herself.

Her face filled with blood and mortification.

"Oh god. That sonofabitch!"


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not in fact own Mr. Bowie….however…I do have dibs when he goes up for sale.

Author's note: Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed and shown their support of my crazy ramblings.

Chapter 4:

The goblins surrounding her stared as if she had just popped out of thin air. Of course, that would be ridiculous, were it not true. None of them moved so much as an eyelash; they simply stood with wide watery eyes trained exclusively on her half-dressed form.

"O…Kay." Sarah mumbled irritably, feeling nine-tenths a fool for her state of dress and the tingling imprint of Jareth's kiss. How could she have allowed him to do that to her? She should have seen it coming and acted accordingly, with a knee in his royal groin. The fact that her body tingled all over and her heart was steadily performing cartwheels notwithstanding. He was as rotten a bastard now as she remembered him to be.

She looked around at the myriad dirt-streaked faces and felt herself blush to the roots of her hairline. How much of hers and Jareth's interaction had these goblins witnessed? She truly didn't want to know. None of them moved. They continued to stand impassively, like figures made of an eerily lifelike wax. What the hell was she supposed to do or say?

She cleared her throat, trying to muster as much dignity as she could given the circumstances. "Um, hello." She attempted, noticing the pathetic timbre of her voice. Her cheeks burned with humiliation. For several moments, no one made a sound until a stodgy female goblin emerged from the crowd and dropped into an awkward curtsy.

"My lady," She croaked. "His majesty wishes me to escort you to your chambers, where you can properly…erm, attire yourself."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Oh he does, does he? Maybe he should have been gentleman enough to kidnap me while I was fully dressed in the first place."

The goblin's bushy eyebrows drew together at the vehemence of Sarah's tone. "My lady, his majesty had his reasons for bringing you as he did. It wouldn't do to question him in this matter."

"Oh it wouldn't? You know what? I don't give a damn what his reasons are, how do you like that?" Sarah stood, a glaring tower of hostility over the little female goblin. "And furthermore, I don't ever want to hear a word in his defense! Do you understand that?"

The little goblin swallowed and nodded, though Sarah could definitely detect a defiant glint in her eyes. "Yes my lady. Would her majesty care to follow me, upstairs to her chamber?"

Sarah paused. " 'Majesty'? What do you mean by that?" She queried, following the little goblin from the room. A hundred pairs of eyes followed in their wake, giving her gooseflesh aplenty. A random chicken darted between her feet out of nowhere, causing her to nearly trip over her own bare feet. She cursed softly under her breath.

"Why you're the queen my lady. Have you forgotten that?" Sarah sensed an acute disliking of that fact from her escort.

"Oh yes, the wager. So, I'm queen for a month." She looked around at the dismal state of the castle; not noticing the queer look the little goblin gave her. "Seems I have my work cut out for me."

The stairwell she remembered so vaguely from her last visit, met her feet for the second time as she trailed behind her goblin guide. A long hallway she'd never seen before echoed their footsteps in the flagstones. There were no windows, or even a hint of art on the walls. There was only dreary silence, and the occasional sconce to light the way.

"God this place gives me the creeps."

The goblin whirled. "But it is your home my lady and you would do well to remember that. The king is far too busy ruling the Underground to fancy up his home for a selfish young girl like you. I suggest if you dislike the décor, you should pick up a mop and get to fixing it yourself." She said from over her shoulder, as she marched steadily forward.

"I didn't mean to…" Sarah began.

The goblin stopped and rounded on Sarah with fierce eyes. "Now you see here missy, you may be queen but that doesn't give you the right to gainsay his majesty. I've served him for many, many years. Oh yes, many years indeed and I've never heard anyone dare speak of him as you have. If you ask me, you aint fit to be his queen." She gave Sarah one long measuring look and sniffed disdainfully. "But I aint one to question his majesty. If he says 'obey the queen', then I must but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Sarah's mouth hung ajar. She was at a loss for words. The goblin reached into her apron and pulled out a rusty set of keys. Turning to a heavy pair of doors Sarah hadn't seen due to the lack of light in the hallway, the goblin fussily jammed the key in the lock and pushed the doors wide. Peering through the opening, Sarah drew in a long breath. The room was beautiful.

A soft looking white coverlet was pulled down on the massive bed, to reveal pale gray sheets of what appeared to be silk. The draperies around the bed were of the same two colors but were sheer, and glittered in the candlelight like they'd been dipped in diamonds. A set of stone steps led from the floor to the bed. Thousands of rose petals littered those stairs and some were even scattered across the heap of pillows. A sitting area with a bone white set of Queen Anne style tables and settees graced the far corner of the room. Behind that were a series of graceful French doors, leading out onto an impressive imperial balcony. The doors were wide open, allowing a cool breeze to filter through the room, combating the warmth generated form the ornate fireplace situated before the bed. A huge brass mirror adorned the wall above the mantle and beneath it, several baubles made of gold and silver graced the mantle itself. Unable to contain herself, Sarah walked over to he fireplace and ran her fingers over a particularly lovely golden owl with sapphires for eyes. A single luxurious, white chaise lounge sat before the fire. Sarah's knees brushed against the soft velvet fabric but she refused to mar its beauty by actually sitting on it. The thing looked too delicate to bear her weight.

Another irritable sniff cut through her bemused observations. Sarah tore her eyes away from the perfection of the room and met the pinched, and thoroughly annoyed features of her goblin companion.

"Had a good look milady?"

Sarah swallowed and nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Never in all of her wildest dreams had she ever imagined a room as beautiful as this. It was something out of a storybook and yet, here she stood in the center of it. She just couldn't believe her eyes weren't deceiving her. The Jareth she thought she knew would've surely given her a room in the dungeon somewhere. After all, didn't he want her to be confused and uncomfortable? This was too much! It was like being an actual queen, instead of being the despised challenger she truly was. Why would he give her this room? The rest of the castle looked like several accurately aimed tornados had ripped through and displaced everything that would make any sense. Chickens ran through the halls, inebriated goblins caroused in the throne room and not anywhere did it appear a broom had ever been employed. The castle was a mess and yet, here was this one room. Lovely and far more comfortable than she expected, she was once more at a loss for words.

"My name's Ria my lady and I'm to be your chambermaid." Ria's face showed how much she enjoyed the appointment. "A bath has been drawn for you in the dressing room, which is just past those doors there." She said pointing past the sitting area in the corner. "You'll find all the necessities have been provided for you. His majesty bids that you avail yourself and I will return in an hour to set your hair." She gave Sarah one last withering glare before shuffling out and locking the doors behind her. Despite the urge to be indifferent to her sumptuous surroundings, as soon as the little dragon was finally gone Sarah darted for the dressing room. Yes, she was angry with Jareth for being, well, Jareth and yes, she was going to do everything in her power to upset any plans he had for her; but for now, she was just a girl in a fancy room filled with pretty things. It was still her birthday dammit, and she was going to enjoy at least this part of the deal.

When she opened the door to the dressing room, she nearly lost bladder control at the sheer size and opulence of the tub that awaited her. The bathtub itself was the size of her entire dorm room! Steam curled about the air and licked at her cheeks. A mound of bubbles enticed from the sweet-smelling water enclosed in the white marble tub. Another short set of steps led into the bath and another plunged down, into the water. From the high ceiling, a pair of glittering black drapes were drawn aside before the tub and were tied with a heavy gold cord. In between those, another set of sheer silk curtains wafted with in the steam. As she stepped through and padded up the steps to the tub, her bare feet met with more rose petals strewn strategically about the marble floor. A small but lovely chandelier hung over the water and to her surprise, the candles inside were as black as the drapes.

"My god, Jareth. You really know how to make an impression, don't you?" She whispered a half-second before ripping the worn t-shirt from her body and slipping into waiting water. A helpless sigh of complete satisfaction escaped her lips as she submerged herself in sheer bliss. If this was what it felt like to be a queen, she just might get used to the idea!

"Is that so my dear? Well, I'm surprised but completely satisfied to hear it. Perhaps we needn't bother with my challenge after all?"

Sarah sat bolt upright, sputtering and wiping suds and liquid from her eyes. "Get OUT you damned pervert! Can't I even take a bath without you harassing me? I should have known this was too good to be true!"

Jareth, chuckling, moved the sheer curtains aside and parked himself on the outer marble steps to the tub. He was clothed entirely in black, from his thigh-high boots to the gloves on his hands. His shirt was ruffled and unlaced at the top, allowing her a glimpse of the defined musculature of his chest and collarbone.

"Now, now Sarah. It's not fair to have such thoughts about me, when I am unable to make a comparison. Now if you wish to stand so I might be able to admire you equally, then by all means, this shirt can be removed."

"I WAS NOT thinking anything like that, you sick, twisted…"

"Pervert? I believe you've already used that insult. Perhaps you should extend your vocabulary? I have a fantastic library you know."

Sarah took a deep breath, her heart slamming against her ribcage. "What the hell are you doing here Jareth?"

A single, elegant eyebrow rose, making him appear even more arrogant; if that were possible. "What do you mean my dear? These are after all, my rooms. I thought I might bathe before we had our little talk this evening."

"What?! I thought these were my rooms?" Sarah stammered. "Ria said…"

"Ria led you to where you'll be staying my dear. She didn't say these rooms were for you implicitly."

"But I can't stay here! You are out of your mind."

Jareth extended his arm and trailed his fingers through her bathwater. Sarah flinched, though she was several feet away. "Whyever not? I assure you that these accommodations are far preferable to the alternative."

She had to swallow a smarmy retort down. "What would that be, pray tell."

He shrugged, causing a lock of his pale blonde hair to dip into the water. "You would share the barracks with the soldiers, or the rushes with the maids. Your choice."

She wanted to slap him, so badly that she nearly rushed to the other end of the tub and did just that. The rotten, filthy bastard! Of course there would be some sort of catch to all of this. She should have known, deep down that he hadn't meant to make her comfortable or give her a sanctuary away from him and his world. Damn it, how could she be so stupid?

"Fine. I will sleep in the throne room, like a good little ruler should!. Now if you don't mind, I would like to get dressed and get out of here."

"Oh come now Sarah, you don't truly believe I'm going to let you have your way do you? You may fall asleep anywhere in this castle but you will always wake up here, with me. You might as well get used to me."

"Are you kidding? Are you really that psycho? Okay, if I'm only allowed to sleep here in the castle then I will just find an oubliette or something outside to sleep in! I will NOT sleep with you!"

Jareth tsked. "Such temper. You really are a spoiled little thing aren't you? There is truly no point in arguing it over, Sarah. What's said is said. You agreed to all of this, remember?"

She felt herself rising and forced her legs to stay tucked beneath her. She absolutely would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her humiliate herself. "I didn't agree to anything but your challenge to rule in your stead for a month, without magic. You didn't say anything about sharing a room with you, at all. Besides, if I'm gonna be doing your job, shouldn't you go on vacation or something? Why would you hang around, when you could have a month off?"

"You seem to have a lot of faith in your abilities, Sarah. But I wonder if you fully understand the difficulty of what you're trying to accomplish? The Labyrinth and the Underground are entirely magical entities. How do you think you are going to accomplish their upkeep without magic, hmm? I intend to 'hang around', as you put it, to be sure you don't completely destroy something I have worked very hard to maintain. Well, that and one other thing really. I believe I did warn you that I intended to undermine your authority at every opportunity and that I meant to distract you as often as possible. In other words, I'm not going anywhere, so get 'over it'." His smile rubbed at her nerves in the most irritating of ways. She chewed at the inside of her lip, as she was wont to do whenever something really perplexed her. What the hell was she supposed to do now?

"Why do I have to stay here? Why not just let me sleep in the library or something? How could this possibly benefit you in any way?"

Watching the lascivious smirk spread across his face, she knew she shouldn't have said anything. She should have just brazened it out and ran from the room, using one of the heavy draperies as a towel.

He rose, unbuttoning his shirt the rest of the way as he strode into the bathwater, heedless of his pants or boots. Sarah backed away like a cornered animal, trying see a path straight to one of the hanging draperies.

"What the hell are you doing? This isn't fair!"

Flinging the remnants of his shirt away like they were burning him, he laughed. "You know Sarah, you're absolutely right for once." He said, pulling her against his bare chest, while he reclining deep into the warm, scented water. She had the speed to cover her breasts with her arms at least, before his mouth descended over hers. Although, having her hands so occupied, prevented her from blocking the path of his.

His fingers grazed the top of he right breast, causing her to squeal and attempt to pull away. Bathwater splashed over the marble steps and floor, due to the intensity of their struggles in the tub. When his lips found the hollow of her throat, she found her voice again despite the warmth that spread to every part of her body.

"Stop! Please, Jareth. Please stop." Her vision was blurring over with tears of frustration and anger but her body clung to his as if she thought she could climb inside of his skin. His hands ceased their roaming and came to rest at each side of her face. At first she couldn't bring herself to look at him. He lightly kissed both of her eyelids.

"Look at me Sarah." He commanded gently. When her eyes met his, he sighed deeply. There was an emotion in his gaze, that she had never noticed before and the realization only made her more confused. She tried to look away again but he lifted her chin with his index finger.

"The rules of this challenge were unfair to you. For that I'm sorry, truly. It seems I play the villain with you more than I intend. This is one area that I will not force you. I simply cannot help myself when I am near you, you intoxicate me."

She watched him swallow hard, his jawbone straining against his emotions. He placed one last lingering kiss on her forehead and pulled away but it was Sarah's unwitting hand that gripped his arm. That arm, was shaking.

"Wait…" She began, though she had no idea of what she was going to say. She sensed something in him, which she would never have believed was possible. "Why go to all this trouble for me Jareth? Why me?"

He knelt in the water before her, his wet hair clinging to his skin. "You've already asked this question once, Sarah. You know the answer. I do so hate to repeat myself."

"If I knew the answer, why would I keep asking? If you wanted revenge on me for beating the Labyrinth, you could have had it a lot more easily than this. Why bring me back here, lock me in your room and tell me I have nowhere else to go? Why challenge me to rule in your place? Why not just kill me, or lock me away in the dark forever? You could ruin my life far more easily than I could even imagine. Why do this at all?"

He looked her squarely in the eyes and smiled. "Why else Sarah? Why do I ever do anything anymore?" He brushed a wet strand of her hair away from her exposed collarbone, his eyes darkening. "I do everything for you, my sweet, tempestuous little tormentor. I have always done it all for you."

Mwhahahahah!!!! More to come later!! Don't hate the author;)


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry ladies, Bowie is now spoken for;) I bought him on e-bay.

Author's note:

Once again thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Especially to Xaviere Jade and Sailorruss for keepin' it real;) The object in writing these (other than the sheer joy it gives me to imagine Jareth with his shirt off) is to improve my writing style and iron out the flaws in my medium. I have again noticed a lot of type errors in the text and can only say 'I'm sorry' I will do my best to edit before I actually post this time.

This chapter will clear up a lot of the inconsistencies in the plotline, as I had intended to do last chapter but got carried away with Jareth's lack of shirt. Enjoy!

Chapter 6:

_Everything I've done, I've done for you._

He meant it as much now as he had then.

The light hold she had on his arm, sent the blood coursing through his veins at high speed. He couldn't be this close to her and not feel as if his skin were going to melt from the inside out and yet; he couldn't force himself to leave.

He was bungling his own carefully constructed plans. He'd entered the dressing room merely with the intention of tormenting her as much as possible. He wanted her to feel like she couldn't escape him, no matter where she hid herself away. He wanted to unnerve her, to make her feel lost and adrift in a world she could never understand without him. It was part of the plan, the plan that would ultimately make her turn to him for support.

He couldn't lose her again. He would not. She belonged to him, though she didn't fully realize that fact yet. She expected him to be cruel, to be frustrating and indomitable. She would settle for nothing less.

He would rather sever his own arm than disappoint her. As ever, living up to her expectations of him was a trying ordeal. Especially when he could barely contain himself around her. Where once she had been little more than a child, she was now a grown woman with a woman's body and mind. The novelty of her maturity daunted him at every turn.

Watching her undress and dive into his bath, nearly undid his reasoning. He might have come upon her with the intention to tease and hamper her actions but it was himself that felt the full sting of torment. Her lovely skin shimmered enticingly in the candlelight and her gorgeous green eyes flashed at him despite her scandalous state of undress.

He couldn't help himself and because of that action, he might have lost serious ground in their ultimate battle. He was playing to win but if he couldn't control himself, he might lose what he desired most: her heart.

Those green eyes implored him for answers to questions he didn't wish to divulge. Her lips were parted and slightly swollen from his kisses. He forced himself to look away, lest she see what he was feeling. She musn't know the depth of his desire. It would only frighten her further away from him but the way she was looking at him left him little doubt that she was growing suspicious of his true intent. He had to salvage the situation, in the only manner he knew how.

"Beware Sarah, for I warned that I can be cruel."

Her lovely dark eyebrows knitted together. "Is that what you were trying to accomplish here? Just another means of torture?" Her voice was light but there was an edge to it, that hadn't been there moments before.

He forced the lie into his mouth, though it pained him beyond words. "But of course my dear. You would have me behave as the cold-hearted cad in every way possible and so I will do as you wish. As always."

His arm felt suddenly cold as her fingers slipped away, one by one. "You know what? I don't believe you. I don't know why but I know you're lying. Why don't you just tell me the truth?"

He sighed. The sound reverberated through the entire room. "Whatever do you mean?"

She looked away. "I don't understand you. Why would you go to this much trouble for me and then just use me at your leisure, if you weren't trying to get revenge for beating the Labyrinth? I certainly wouldn't bother this much. If it's vengeance or whatever, that's inspired you to behave like a complete asshole than maybe you should just stop beating around the bush."

Those gleaming emerald pools near sparked when she turned to face him. "Okay. I will play your game because you're not giving me a choice but that doesn't give you the right to take advantage of me. First, I demand my own room. Second, hassle me as much as you like but remember, you WILL NOT lay another finger on me again. I mean it Jareth."

Jareth chuckled, allowing his legs to settle beneath him in the water. The dark humor of the situation was not lost on him. But still, his actions were placing him precariously close to losing her. What he needed to do now was convince her that he was merely playing his part; the part of the arrogant, devil may care Goblin King. He couldn't allow her to see how she really affected him. It would impede his goal. Instead, she must think he merely wanted to play the game and win at any cost.

Mentally, he kicked himself for giving in to the temptation of having her at his mercy. He knew better than that. All excuses aside, this wasn't what he'd had in mind when he brought her here. Ultimately yes, but not yet. Not now.

She must have time to allow her conflicted feelings for him to grow. If he showed her the depth of his heart, she would be either frightened away or lose interest do to the lack of challenge.

Sarah had to come to grips with him as she saw him first, in order to love him as a man later. Her childhood ideal of him stood in the way but for now, he must behave as she expected him to. Else the strain might be more than she could handle.

She must come to him. In the end, it was the only way to capture her affections. The man who seized her idyllic fancy was the enigmatic Goblin King. A man who held the roots of time in the palm of his hand, like something as insubstantial as air. A man who had all but plucked the stars from the sky for her amusement.

This was the man she expected thus this is the man she would have, until she was ready to see who he truly was.

Inside of the Goblin King's haughty and omnipotent persona lived Jareth: the man who loved her so deeply, his passion for her bordered on religious fervor. He slept Sarah, drank her, breathed her. She was all he could see, all he could feel in the cold, dark canyons of his heart. Sarah was his very life. Without her, he was nothing.

This was the Jareth he wanted so desperately for her to see, though he loved her so much, he was willing to take his time. He had no choice. If he lost her again, it would surely kill him.

"You wish to dictate terms?" He asked, painfully forcing the Goblin King's mask onto his face. Insufferable. He could very well hate himself at this rate.

"Yes I do. I want my own room."

"Is that all?" His voice was carefully mocking.

He watched fascinated, as the blood in her cheeks rose to the surface of her face. She was getting angry with him; good.

"No that is not all. I want you to promise not to do anything like this again."

"And if I do not? What then?"

She chewed at her lower lip. "Well, I will refuse to play your game and you'll send me home, or else."

"Or else what my dear?"

"Or else I'll do something terrible!" She cried, pounding the water with the flat of her palm.

Jareth wiped a line of droplets from his eyes. "Now this promises to be interesting. What 'terrible' deed do you have in mind?"

Her eyes narrowed to slits of emerald flame. "I'll poison you while you sleep, you arrogant bastard. You just wait and see."

"Is that so?" He couldn't help the laugh that escaped his throat.

"You don't believe I can do it? Trust me, I can and I will." Even a dread warning such as this, sounded musical to his ears when it sprang from her lips.

"No my sweet Sarah, I believe you'd try."

"And, I want you to get out of here so I can dress. Right now."

"On pain of poisoning, or worse?"

"Don't you dare make fun of me!" She hissed. "I will not be your little plaything Jareth."

"I'm quite sure that wasn't what I had in mind my dear. Perhaps you're merely overreacting a bit?" He stretched out a hand against her next outburst. "I will not apologize for finding you an attractive woman Sarah, unless of course you intend to lie and deny that you find me equally appealing."

"I do not…" She interjected uselessly.

"Now, now Sarah. Lies do not become us. However, because you will surely fabricate a denial and behave childishly until I give in; I will make you a new deal."

She gave him a look. "Oh give me a break! Don't we have one too many as it is?"

He continued as if she hadn't spoken. "In this new arrangement, you will have half of what you ask for but not all. I cannot allow you to get too comfortable, after all. It would defeat the purpose of my original proposition."

"Half? What are you talking about?"

"You asked for two things, I will grant you one of them. Which will it be, your own room or for me not to touch you again. Decide quickly please, my patience is growing rather thin."

She issued an unladylike snort. "Are you kidding? That's not a fair choice Jareth and you know it."

"I believe we've already discussed the 'fairness' of your situation once this evening, unless you wish to discuss it again?"

A scarlet blush smothered her face into the roots of her hairline. She shifted in the water, causing a faint current to brush against his chest. An inadvertent reminder of her nearness, which made him glad she couldn't read his mind.

"No. I think I got the point." She murmured under her breath. The lascivious smirk returned to his lips.

"Hmm, not yet I think. Though it could be arranged if you make a certain choice."

"That is not…you pervert! I didn't mean it that way. God, you are so…so…"

"Charming? Handsome?"

"Rude!"

His laugh was one of genuine amusement. "So my precious girl, which will it be? I would consider carefully if I were you."

Her eyes glared daggers at him. "Since what I want clearly doesn't matter, I choose door number two. Since you intend to stick around and bug me every five minutes anyway, I can at least be sure you won't try to touch me again. Besides, you'd probably give me a broom closet to sleep in if I chose otherwise."

"Very astute my dear. I'm sure you'll find my chambers much more obliging."

"But I'm not sleeping with you! I'll sleep on the couch by the fire and if you go back on your word, I promise you'll wake up with a head wound you won't ever forget!"

"No, I can't have you believing me to be ungentlemanly. You'll take the bed."

"Will you be in it?" She asked distastefully.

"Perhaps, though I give you my word. I'll honor our arrangement. I won't touch you again, on my honor as a gentleman."

A short 'pphh' sound came out of her mouth. "Yeah right. I don't trust you at all."

"Why, that wounds me my dear. Truly. Would you prefer I signed in blood?"

"No. That's ridiculous."

"Then I see no problem. I will not touch you again, until you ask it of me."

"Well you might as well forget that, cuz I never will." She retorted, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away, her jaw set at a stubborn angle.

"Never say never, Sarah. Sometimes, it's sooner than you think."

She opened her mouth to argue but he had already taken his leave. In his absence, there was only steam curling about the air before her, in the shape of a man. She cursed under her breath, submerging herself once more in the luxuriant water.

If that was only the prelude to the evening, she hated to see what was in store for her next.

………………………………………………………..

Gah! Don't you hate me? Lol.

This chapter was very hard to write, it just didn't come out as easily as I wanted. I guess I'm just exhausted. Keep the reviews comin' guys. They keep me motivated. The next few chappies are going to get very difficult for our little Sarah….mwahahaha.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Labyrinth…but do I get brownie points for owning Mr. Bowie?

Author's note: Thanks everybody for your reviews. Truly, I would have probably stopped writing on this all together had you guys not encouraged me I'm used to writing very different stories from this one, so it can be pretty hard to stay focused on it. I do like the way it's turning out though, despite my neurosis. Lol. Special Thanks to Ergott for being consistently helpful and positive! Seriously, your reviews all mean a lot. Keep em comin';)

Chapter 7:

What had she gotten herself into? The question echoed through her ears like a sledgehammer in a tunnel. It was monotonous, the incessant, nagging query. Of all the idiotic, arrogant schemes she'd ever come up with in her bloody life; this was by far the worst idea ever. She should have told Jareth to take his little 'challenge' and shove it up his elegant ass. She should have, oh she definitely _should_ have but she hadn't. Therein lay the very author of all her newfound problems.

She, Sarah Williams: mighty vanquisher of Labyrinthine fame…could never refuse a challenge. It was the single personality flaw that had become the bane of her existence, ever since she'd visited the dreamlike Underground in the first place. Mores the pity.

She believed, deep down for many years that her 'Labyrinth fantasy' had been her subconscious trying to intervene on behalf of a much needed dose of self confidence. Since her mom had died, she'd always been shy and quick to blame her problems on others. It used to drive Karen crazy.

Although after running the Labyrinth, the urge to seek external sources to bear responsibility for her actions ceased all together. She charged her difficulties head-on. Sought them out, as one does an eight-letter word in a crossword puzzle. Excuses were beyond her.

Sarah accepted the sole responsibility for Sarah and her decisions both. She wasn't a sulking, fanciful girl anymore. She knew very well when she had put her foot in it, which was the damnable misery of her situation.

You couldn't blame Jareth for being, well, Jareth. He was what he was. There was no changing him. If he had a perverse desire to watch her suffer in torment, well…that was his nature. He just loved to play the arch-nemesis, a role for which she was certain he was born for.

No. She had no one to blame for this terrible fate, except herself. She could have refused. Jareth could have taken her for his plaything, or worse; which she was almost positive, would have been far preferable to this.

It'd been three days since she last saw or spoke with Jareth: three hellish, unimaginable trying days. At this point, she'd almost be overjoyed to quit and accept defeat. Who knew ruling the Labyrinth could be so damned difficult?

Last time she was here, the Goblin City was merely another obstacle to be surmounted. Now it was a wild beast that needed breaking. Goblins had to be the most unruly, ignorant, loutish band of creatures in the entire universe. Not a single one of them respected her, her privacy or any tasks she might have set for them and if one or two seemed cooperative, it was because they were too stupid to know the difference between her and Jareth.

One, a very ugly fellow named Skrunt, responded to her commands like a faithful dog. Though, Skrunt often referred to her as 'his majesty'. Turns out that poor old Skrunt was in fact blind as a bat and only half as intelligent. If that weren't bad enough, she had Snitch and Weasel to contend with as well.

Snitch prided himself on being the most handsome and desirable of goblin males, although to Sarah's eyes he looked more like a drowned rat with overlarge ears than handsome. He spent his time filling her ears with useless gossip then listening to a single word she said. Whenever she would actually command him to shut up and listen, he would just gossip louder. He'd already incited two fistfights and one out and out brawl, which resulted in her entire gown being drenched in cheap ale. Instead of showing contrition for despoiling their ruler thus, the goblins clapped each other on the back, howling with laughter.

Jareth had only provided her with the one gown. After her very public humiliation at the gnarled hands of her subjects, Sarah was forced to flee the throne room in an effort to salvage the simple white frock to no avail. The garment along with her pride was summarily ruined.

When she brought the subject up to Ria, the goblin matron shrugged and told her it wasn't her job to keep the males in line. It was Sarah's problem, not hers.

To make matters yet worse, Ria flatly refused to launder her dress.

"Well, what am I supposed to do then?" Sarah asked, frustrated.

Ria fixed a glare on her that could have frozen water. "I suggest your majesty grab a washbin and have a go at it herself. I'm just here to dress your hair and see to your meals. I aint no laundress, understand?"

Before Sarah could formulate a proper retort, the stodgy little goblin disappeared through her chamber door.

So, Sarah spent the rest of that evening using Jareth's Olympic sized tub to scrub the stains out of her dress and gritting her teeth against the deluge of curses that were threatening to spill out of her mouth.

The second day as ruler of the Labyrinth was even better.

Wearing a partially stained and still quite damp gown, she entered the throne room again. This time, she was determined not to let the little bastards intimidate her.

Just like the previous day, the raucous lot paid her no heed. She'd been sitting on the throne for a full twenty minutes before anyone noticed her. The first, of course was Weasel. A hairy, bulbous giant of a goblin who wore a tusked helmet to match the yellowed pair that sprouted from his face. He shuffled to her side and mocked a courtly bow. Glad to have someone's attention, Sarah attempted to draw him into conversation.

"You're name is Weasel right?" She asked lightly, trying her best not to let him see her discomfort. She had a feeling that he would see it as a sign of weakness, which would invariably lead to another embarrassing spectacle.

Weasels' beady red eyes bored into hers. "Yeah Lady. Weasel my name."

"That's a funny name for a fella as big as you."

He puffed out his already ample chest and grinned, showing a row of uneven and severely decayed teeth. Sarah held her breath in defense of the horrid reek of his breath. "Weasel get name cuz Weasel sneaky. He sneaks very good."

She lifted an eyebrow, feigning interest. "Really? That's quite an accomplishment I suppose. What does Weasel 'sneak'?"

Another reeking grin. "Small things. Weasel sneaks small things into castle."

"What small things?"

His shoulders lifted in what she supposed was a shrug, being that he didn't appear to have any shoulders. He was just a round ball with two spindly twigs for arms.

"Snakes and lizards most a'time."

She made a face. "Why on earth would you bring those into the castle?"

"Cuz lady don't like 'em."

The room twittered with giggles. She suddenly noticed that every goblin's eyes were trained on her expectantly. A warning alarm went off in her head.

"Weasel, where do you put these snakes and lizards?"

"Under lady's chair." The entire room guffawed with his answer.

Sarah could feel the blood drain from her face.

"You're only saying that to scare me!" She hissed. "It's not going to work this time."

Weasel 'shrugged' and pointed at her feet. At least a dozen reptiles emerged from underneath the throne. A particularly large black snake was already halfway up the side of the chair, its forked tongue tasting her rising fear no doubt.

She screamed and leapt out of her seat like it was on fire. The throne room erupted in hearty rows of unbridled laughter. She flounced around the chamber screaming at the top of her lungs, while furiously shaking out her dress to be sure none of the vermin were crawling up her skirt. In the process, she bumped into a low table causing one of the candles to drop onto her already mangled dress.

Whether it was just the remnants of ale still drying on the fabric or Fate's quirky sense of humor, the hem lit like a rag soaked in turpentine. Her screams shifted into outright shrieks.

The goblins howled, rolling on the floor like merry puppies.

She tore at the burning cloth, attempting to stamp out the flames that'd already consumed most of her clothing when someone doused her with a tankard of foul-smelling liquid. Yelping in surprise, Sarah wiped at her eyes with the back of her dripping hand. The substance was slimy. Snitch stood before her with the empty flagon, smirking.

The smell nearly knocked her over. "What the hell was that?!"

"His majesty don't let us spit on the floor no more." Said Snitch mournfully; turning the tankard upright and hocking the biggest loogie she'd ever seen. When he was assured of her mounting horror, he slapped his knee and passed the tankard to Weasel.

"It sure take a long time to fill up again."

"Oh…my…God…" She began, trying to flee before she retched all over the throne room. She made it to the hall just outside, having the misfortune to hear the ever-louder laughter issuing from the throne room.

Day three she spent hiding out in Jareth's library, slumped over his desk in her slip, which had plenty of holes due to the former day's incident. At least she had a bath to jump in after all that. Otherwise, she was sure she would have killed herself rather than ask for a bucket of water.

Damn Jareth to hell for not giving her another dress to wear. It was the least he could do, given the circumstances. His promise to be at her throat for the duration of her sentence as his replacement bore no weight at all.

He was nowhere to be seen. She almost wished he were there. At least then she would have _someone_ to talk to who didn't entirely hate her. Well, hopefully anyway.

Where the hell was he? He'd made it sound like he was going to harass her every moment of every day but he was MIA. The first evening she expected him to appear in his bed as easily as he popped in and out of his bathroom. She even went to sleep on the chaise by the fireplace, just to spite him. As promised she woke up in his bed but surprisingly, alone. Not that she minded not having to sleep in the same bed with him of course, but she still expected him to show up nonetheless.

Jareth was being unpredictable. That meant trouble for Sarah, undoubtedly.

After the embarrassing scene in his bathroom, Ria came to dress her for a woefully undercooked meal. She was to find it was a meal she would enjoy solo.

The solitary communication she had from him these past three days was a simple card, begging forgiveness for his absence from dinner and a gift. A beautiful snow-globe that mightily resembled the figurine she once had as a child occupied the space opposite her plate. Spinning the globe altered the appearance of the girl inside: her gown of white, transforming into one of gold, from the gold dust that swirled around her. A cascade of jewels materialized in her hair and over her temple, a sparkling crown of shimmering diamonds. As the dust settled around her, the figure would return to normal with a secretive smile expertly sculpted onto her tiny face.

Sarah was touched, despite herself. It was a lovely, thoughtful gift. Though, she was somewhat miffed that he didn't have the courage to present it to her himself.

Sitting at his desk three days later, she spun the globe again and wondered at its meaning.

A heavy sigh escaped her throat. Why wasn't he there?

Was he planning something she should worry about? As if she didn't already have enough to worry about. The goblins made no secret of their loathing of her. How the hell was she supposed to keep them in line when they were hell-bent on making her life miserable?

She had no one she could turn to for help and at this rate, the castle would probably burn down before her month was up.

Suddenly, a heavy fist banged furiously at the library doors. Sarah's stomach plummeted into her feet. She couldn't face them again, not yet anyway. She was hoping to spend the day alone and undaunted by her cruel and unruly subjects. The banging intensified.

"Majesty," It was Skrunt. She unclenched her fists, exhaling in relief. "We's caught an intruder! He was climbin' up the big steps to yer room!"

To her room? Oh lord. Now she had assassins after her. Great, just great. She opened the door and looked down on Skrunt's squinting face.

"Where is he then?" She asked, noticing the bevy of goblin soldiers standing rigidly in the hall. They brought up a small, struggling figure from the rear. His familiar features were bruised and bleeding.

Sarah's eyes flew wide, a trembling hand pressed against her chest. "Hoggle!" She exclaimed in acute astonishment.

……………………………………………….

Haha. That was fun. I actually got quite a bit accomplished today. Went to work, cleaned my house (only took four hours, yeah, it was that bad), bathed my neighbor's dog and my cat, did four loads of laundry and wrote this chapter! Go me.

Happy Holidays to everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful time I will get started on chapter 8 on Monday.

Oh and I'm attempting to post my original fiction of so if that works out I'll give ya'll a heads up if you're interested;)


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Sue me and all you'll get is a lot of Bowie-abilia.

Author's note: So I guess the last chapter didn't go over so well. The reviews were mostly lukewarm. Sorry guys, I felt that the story was moving a bit fast in one direction without much reflection on Sarah's part. Also, the story really needed a shift toward the plot itself and a little less focus on the sexual tensions between her and Jareth. I want it to be sexy but there had to be a little distance between them for the plot to develop.

I promise there will be plenty of Jareth in the chapters to come. Special thanks again to Ergott, whose work I greatly admire and whose advice is always the most insightful. I promise to try very hard not to let you guys down with this chapter!

Oh a quick P.S., I did receive a couple of flames this time. Please just let me say, the point of communities such as this one is to offer CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. We are all trying to help each other become better writers, not bash someone who is brave enough to post their fiction for everyone to see. I will happily listen to anyone who offers positive criticism. Please refrain from comment if you can't be nice.

Chapter 8:

"Hoggle!" Sarah exclaimed, throwing her arms around her little friend's neck. He grunted but patted her back affectionately. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you! How have you been? Where's Ludo, Didymus and Ambrosius? Oh, I have so many things to tell you!"

Hoggle backed away slightly, taking in her ragged state of dress and the general anxiety in her mannerisms. "What happened to ya Sarah? Did that rat Jareth do this?"

Sarah wiped a falling tear from her cheek, looking down at herself. Laughing she said, "No, no. It wasn't anything like that. The goblins and I just aren't seeing eye-to-eye is all." She gave the goblins in the hall a pointed look. "They tend to get a little carried away whenever I'm in the throne room."

"Jareth's throne room? Why would you ever wanna go in there Sarah?"

Casting her eyes downward, she fidgeted with a particularly singed portion of her slip. "Well, it's kind of a long story Hoggle. Why don't we get you cleaned up and I'll tell you all about it?"

"But I came to rescue you! We should leave right now, before Jareth finds out I'm here." The dwarf implored her with round, wary eyes. The bruises on his face forced a hot burst of anger into her throat. She looked up sharply at Skrunt, who anxiously awaited her instructions.

"Skrunt."

The old goblin soldier saluted her. "Majesty?"

"I want you to assemble the goblins who battered my friend and toss them head first into the Bog of Eternal Stench!"

The goblins behind him sucked in a collective breath. Skrunt sputtered. "B…but your majesty! They was only doin' their jobs."

Sarah stood, towering over them all with an evil glint in her eye. "Are you questioning my orders Skrunt?"

Skrunt shook his head and backed into another soldier. "No majesty! Skrunt aint stupid."

She repressed a chuckle. Perhaps not, even if he was blind and half-deaf. "Good. Then do as I say."

"Y…yes, your majesty." He stammered, turning to bark orders at his subordinates. The goblins that had held Hoggle were instantly seized, their weapons clattering to the stone floor.

Watching the lot of them disappear down the corridor, She sighed heavily and shut the library doors.

"Are you okay Hoggle?" She asked, leaning against the heavy doorframe.

Hoggle was staring at her with his mouth hanging wide open. "How'd you do that? How'd you get 'em to do what you said like that? You sounded just like _him_!"

"Hoggle, there's a lot I have to tell you about…"

He shifted on his stubby little legs, rubbing his chin as he observed her. "The graybeard called you 'majesty'! Sarah, what's goin' on? Why're ya here again?"

She placed her head in her hands, laughing mournfully. "Jareth came for me on my birthday. My parents and I went to see _Faust_ and when we got home, he appeared and tricked me into another one of his challenges."

Hoggle snorted. "I knew it'd be somethin' like that. That rat!" He patted her hand. "We all been worried 'bout ya Sarah. The whole Labyrinth's talkin' 'bout yer return. I was talkin' to a forest gnome yesterday on my rounds and he said ya was locked in the castle. I just knew somethin' awful was happenin' to ya! So's I snuck into the city to find ya."

Her heart clenched a bit at the prospect of such a dear friend risking his own safety for her based on a rumor. "Hoggle, you're very brave to come here by yourself."

The dwarf's cheeks colored dramatically. "Awe well, yer my friend Sarah. I couldn't leave ya here all alone."

Touched beyond words, Sarah squeezed his overlarge hand. "Thank you old friend. You can't know how much that means to me."

Hoggle shrugged. "It was nothin'."

Laughing, she wiped a stray tear from her eye. "I missed you Hoggle. You know, for a very long time I thought this whole place was just a figment of my imagination. Though, for some reason I always felt that we would see each other again. Strange huh?"

He considered her words, his bushy eyebrows furrowed. "Ya mean ya forgot us? That's why ya never called?"

"I could never forget you, Hoggle. In my world though, places like this don't exist. There aren't any fairies or gnomes anywhere. We don't believe in magic anymore. People would have thought I was crazy if I told them about the Underground. My parents threatened to send me to a doctor if I didn't stop talking about it, so after a while I just convinced myself that it was all a dream."

"Well that's just stupid. Course we're real."

"My thoughts precisely." Interjected a familiar and very unwelcome voice from the window. Sarah nearly jumped out of her skin. Hoggle, momentarily forgetting his role as rescuer slipped behind her, with a yelp.

Jareth's hair caught the sun's fading light, as he reclined casually in the window seat. He wore all white, contrasting sharply with the shadowy interior of the library. A very firm frown pulled the corners of his mouth down in an almost sneer. His cold, mismatched eyes were all for Sarah and her excitable visitor.

"Well, well, Higgle…"

The dwarf groaned. "Oh, it's Hoggle!"

"Yes, I thought I'd warned you about entering the city without my permission. Do you need me to remind you of the consequences of defying my commands?"

Sarah felt Hoggle tremble behind her. "You leave him alone! He came here to see me and he has my permission to be here." She retorted from between her teeth.

Jareth lifted an eyebrow at her bravado. "I believe our arrangement stipulated that you weren't to have _any_ assistance. That of course does include your little pet here." His voice dripped with malice.

"He's not my pet. He's my friend and he came here to visit me, that's all. Besides, what do you care? It's not like you've been here anyway."

Something flickered in his eyes. "Why Sarah, are you implying that you actually missed me?"

"She wouldn't miss the likes of you Jareth!" Hoggle offered fervently. Sarah nudged him to keep him quiet.

"No." She said testily.

"Well in that case, perhaps you intend to forfeit then?"

"Why would I do that?"

Jareth rose, stalking toward them like an enraged tiger. Sarah stood her ground amicably, with Hoggle cowering behind her. "Let's run for it Sarah!" He pleaded in a small voice. She ignored him, facing the Goblin King with hands on hips and a clenched jaw that meant business.

"The dwarf will leave this castle now, or I will be forced to accept your resignation." Jareth demanded, his face mere inches from her own. She felt her heart pound against her breastbone from his proximity.

"He will do no such thing. You don't get to order me around remember? You made me queen for a month. If I want him here, he stays."

"Sarah, you're trying my…" Jareth began, but his eyes swept down her person as if seeing her for the first time. "What the devil are you wearing?"

She flushed. "You only gave me one dress."

"Yes but I expected you to be wearing it, not this horrible rag." He remarked disdainfully.

"Well the dress is in worse shape, so it was this or nothing. Stop changing the damn subject!"

Jareth coked his head to the side, his index finger tapping against his chin. "I think nothing would have been preferable to this. You look frightful my dear. What happened to your gown?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. She wasn't about to tell him how miserably she was failing in his place. "I bumped into a table and it caught on fire. Now can we talk about the issue at hand?"

"Fire you say? However did you manage that?"

"Does it matter? I was in the throne room and I bumped into a candle. Nothing serious, just me being clumsy." She lied, looking him straight in the eye.

"Hmm. You know Sarah; I'm quite adept at seeing through your deceptions. It might behoove you to practice honesty from time to time. You might find my mood a bit more colloquial."

"Coll..oh..kial? What the hell's that mean?" Hoggle mumbled. Sarah nudged him again.

Jareth tsked and strode over to his desk, negligently tossing his legs over its surface and placing his hands behind his head. "It means my dear Hedgewart…that my lovely Sarah here is not playing fair. So the goblins are a lot more difficult to deal with than you originally believed, aren't they?"

Sarah cast her eyes downward, so he wouldn't see the confirmation on her face.

Jareth shook his head slowly. "What a pity. And here you thought it was going to be, what is that phrase you use? 'A piece of cake', right?"

He was laughing at her. Her cheeks burned. "You're not funny. You probably know everything that's happened don't you?"

"No. Despite what you think, I do sometimes have better things to do then watch your every move. However, knowing my goblins…I can guess."

She let out a heavy sigh. "Is there a point in my future? Because if not, _I_ have better things to do then stand here and listen to you ramble on all day."

His eyebrows met his hairline, once more. "I'm a reasonable man Sarah. I'd be willing to trade my assistance for a few, observances on your part."

"That don't sound too good Sarah. Don't give him the satisfaction." Hoggle warned, giving the king a worried glance. Jareth returned the look with an intense scowl, making Hoggle swallow any further retorts.

" 'Observances'? You know something Jareth? You'd make a perfect car salesman."

"I take it that isn't a compliment?"

"Nope."

He laughed, causing the gooseflesh on her arms to go haywire. "Nevertheless, I believe you'd be foolish to refuse my help this time. Unless of course you enjoy being the subject of such amusement on the goblins' part?"

She really, really didn't want to know what this might cost her. Yet, at this rate he would win long before her time was up.

"Okay. What are you offering?" She asked, despite the heavy groan that came from Hoggle's direction.

"First, I will provide you with a wardrobe to suit your station."

That alone might have been worth any cost at this juncture. "And?"

"I will make a public announcement throughout the Labyrinth that your orders are to be obeyed implicitly, as if they were mine."

Damn, he was good at this. He knew very well that such a decree might just guarantee her victory. "What do you want in return?" She replied, rather breathlessly. If she could have those two favors, she could very likely be home in a month!

"Two very simple things actually."

"Which are?"

He pointed directly at Hoggle. "That, must be removed from the castle for the duration of your tenure. I am not so heartless to refuse your little, visit." He formed the word as if it left a sour taste in his mouth. "But he will leave at a reasonable hour this evening and will not return until you have either won or lost. I meant what I said Sarah, in order for this game to be a fair one you are to perform your task without magic or aid."

Hoggle patted her hand. "Don't ya worry 'bout me Sarah. If it makes things easier on ya, I can wait to see ya. Besides, it aint like he can keep us from ya if ya really need us anyway." He said the last on a whisper, which was meant for her ears alone. It reassured her a little but was still quite a lot to ask of someone as lonely and desperate for company as she was. She squeezed his hand back in a silent 'thank you'. She could never ask for a better friend.

"What's the second thing?" She asked with renewed confidence.

Jareth's smile was cold, calculating. "You must rescind our latest agreement."

She felt the blood drain from her face. "That's not…"

"Fair? Oh I think it is Sarah. I'd be giving you an incredible advantage. You can't fault me for desiring one of my own in return." She wanted to wipe the smug, self-satisfied smirk from his arrogant face. He'd planned this, all of it. He knew damned well what had been going on and he'd let her suffer through it so he could throw another unfair deal her way.

The son-of-a-bitch!

"You bastard! You conniving, manipulative, cruel…"

His laughter echoed throughout the chamber. "I've been called sweeter things in my time, surely. Oh come, come Sarah. It's not like I'm planning to assault your person like a ravening beast. I do have more class than that. I'm just attempting to even the playing field. How's this for a stipend? Every time I grant you a favor, especially the sort that might endanger my prospect of winning; you must agree to spend time with me. Alone."

Sarah felt Hoggle bristle behind her. She clamped a hand over his mouth to shush him before he got himself into trouble. The last thing she needed to worry about was Jareth hurting her friends out of pettiness.

"What do you mean then?"

"Nothing too outlandish." He replied, vaguely.

Sarah most definitely didn't like the sound of that.

…………………………………………………………………………

Mwhaha. That was a long one. I'm tired, so I'm out;)

Oh by the way, this site won't allow you to send a fic site's address over e-mail. So when I find a good one, I'll post it on here in code. Lol.

By the way, Princess Destiny…I've been trying to e-mail you but my server is being a pain. I need help uploading on the site.

Happy New Year everyone!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nada. ('Cept for Bowie of course)

Author's note: Thanks so much for the reviews! I take them all to heart, so hopefully you'll see some improvements in this chapter;) Special thanks as always to Ergott, who is always there with the best advice and encouragement! And to Xaviere Jade whose reviews are always enlightening and inspiring. Enjoy!

Chapter 9:

He was watching her again, notwithstanding his arguments to the contrary. He always watched her. He just couldn't help himself. Especially now that she was so very close, it provided gratification without overt involvement on his part. Besides, he promised himself he wouldn't rush it this time. It was a promise he fully intended to keep, though at times like these it was difficult.

After nearly an hour of Ria's less than gentle ministrations, Sarah's beautiful black hair swept off of her neck in an elegant chignon that left several curling strands flitting about her throat. A single, brilliant diamond served as the clasp that held the heavy mass in place. On her lovely, white neck hung another smaller diamond, which was strung from a tiny circlet of perfect pearls. How he longed to run his bare hands over the skin those pearls concealed.

When she rose, it was to unclasp the satin dressing gown he'd given her as a part of her new wardrobe. Jewels, gowns, underthings, shoes, etc. He gave her everything a woman could possibly desire to wear. After all, he may be a sodding bastard most of the time but he was at least good on his word. It was unfortunate that in order to spoil her, he had to manipulate the game they were playing. Unfortunate but pleasing nonetheless. If he'd offered her the items from the start, she would have refused them just to spite him. No. He had to watch her suffer for three miserable days before she would be desperate enough to allow herself to be pampered.

Stubborn as a mule, his Sarah was and twice as predictable.

He sucked in a breath as the dressing gown lowered to the ground. Her slip and stockings did very little to conceal the shape of her curves, nor the color of her nubile flesh. Her stockings were silk, of course and of the finest weave imaginable. The slip itself, which was merely calf length in the first place, was also of the same gossamer material and damned near transparent. He forced his gloved hands into fists, to keep them from shaking.

Ria brought over a lovely satin and brocade gown. It was a soft eggshell color, that complimented the diamonds and pearls she wore. He loved her in shades of white, which was why nearly every gown in her dressing room boasted the hue. It made her lovely eyes sparkle and the dark of her hair seem almost opaque against her skin. And what skin she had: smooth and creamy as buttermilk, yet twice as appetizing.

The goblin matron slid the gown over Sarah's body and helped her adjust the bodice, removing the sight of those glorious curves from Jareth's vision. Fighting the urge to groan his displeasure at the loss, he removed the trinket he had made especially for Sarah from his waistcoat. The bracelet gleamed against the dark leather of his gloved hand.

He stepped from the shadows as though he were clothed in them. They seemed to move with him, causing both females to start at his sudden appearance. Jareth couldn't help but smirk. He loved that trick. It kept people on their toes.

Ria immediately dipped into an awkward curtsey. "Majesty." She said, as if she'd expected him all along. He was almost willing to bet she had, the clever wench.

His head inclined ever so slightly in her direction. "Ria, you're services are no longer required."

She placed a meaty hand against her hip, giving him a look that could have singed the hair on his head. "Don't you be messin' up all my hard work now." She indicated Sarah, spun on her heal with a grumble and disappeared through the door.

Jareth scowled at the closed door. "I truly cannot understand why I put up with her impudence." He wondered aloud, irritably. Out of nowhere, Sarah burst out laughing. When he turned to look at her, her face was flushed with mirth. Her hands were crossed over her chest, her upper body nearly doubled-over.

He stared, utterly stunned. He hadn't heard her laugh like that in ages. "Well, and what is so amusing my dear?" He made sure his voice sounded perturbed, though deep down he was pleased to see her enjoying herself; whether if it was at his expense or not.

"That just answered my question is all." She wiped at her eyes, letting out a great, relieved sort of breath.

"Which question would that be?" He was fascinated, despite himself. He wanted to know the cause of every one of her smiles.

She turned to look at him and for the very first time, her eyes invited him to share their humor. He almost dropped his gift. "Whether or not she was like that to everyone."

Her smiling eyes held his for uncountable moments. He felt he could scarce breathe, lest he break the spell. He felt the Goblin King's mask slip, just enough to return her smile as Jareth and nothing more. "Yes Sarah, she most certainly is 'that way' to everyone including me. I often wonder whether I should be angry or not but I fear it is only her nature. I believe in the end, she means well."

She giggled, holding his gaze. This was a momentous occasion indeed. Jareth was spellbound. Did she actually intend to have a personable conversation with him? He was suddenly nervous. He would never forgive himself if he ruined this moment by saying the wrong thing, so he just smiled back and waited to see what she'd do next. Cowardly perhaps but what did he care? She was _smiling_ at him!

One dark eyebrow arched heavenward. "So, what're you doing here? Have you come to tease me or be nice?" She asked, with a grin that nearly set his clothing ablaze. What had come over her this evening? Surely this was not Sarah? Not his cold, pitiless little tormentor? This Sarah was soft, companionable and almost…flirtatious. He couldn't believe his eyes.

When he spoke, his voice was lightly hoarse. "I've brought you a present." He dangled the bracelet from his fingers, waiting for her reaction. Her eyes lit up. No suspicion, no useless anger, she was pleased. Amazing.

"Do you want it?" He asked carefully, still expecting her to attack him any second.

She moved toward him slowly, shyly. A strange smile still fixed on her full lips. When she stood close enough for him to touch, she extended her hand. "May I see it?"

Jareth commanded his limbs to cease quaking. She came to him. She _came_ to _him_! He would never have believed it real, if she weren't standing before him expectantly. Was he dreaming? Hallucinating? He had to be. This was too good to be true.

"My, you are certainly in a fair mood this evening." He commented softly.

She shrugged and looked away. His heart dropped into his feet. There. He'd gone and ruined it already. When she turned back to him, her cheeks were a becoming shade of pink. "Well, there is a girl in here somewhere after all."

"Pardon me?" Was she actually blushing?

She laughed dryly. "It's just that I've been so miserable this week and now," She gestured at her dress and hair. "Well, let's just say you've made me feel a whole lot better. So, even though you have your own reasons…I feel I have to thank you."

There. Now he knew he was dreaming. Sarah Williams, the champion of the Labyrinth and the defeater of the Goblin King would never thank him for anything. He had to force his jaw closed.

"What?" She asked, giving a short laugh.

"Forgive me. I just never expected you to say something like that to me."

Her eyes twinkled up at him. "Just don't get used to it okay?"

"I believe I can answer quite honestly, that I never shall." He replied with another genuine smile. His blood warmed at the sight of her, smiling up at him. He wouldn't trade this moment for all of the stars in the night sky.

"Well, are you going to show it to me or not?" She pointed at the bracelet, still clutched in his fingers.

Hesitantly, he grasped her wrist. When she didn't flinch away from his touch, he fastened the delicate metal around it. "You know, I wouldn't have pegged you as the type of woman to have her head turned by pretty baubles."

"Well, today I most certainly am." She said, laughing. "I guess this must be what Cinderella felt like."

He realized he was still holding her wrist but made no move to remove his hand. He waited to see what she would do, as he was in completely alien territory.

"I will remember, I promise you."

A heavy knock on the door disturbed their solitude. The smile faded from her face.

"Majesty," Skrunt's voice called from behind the other side. "Queen Etain is here. She's demandin' an audience with ya."

Jareth heaved a sigh. "Not again."

"What?" Sarah asked, her face lost.

"I'm afraid you'll find out soon enough." He looked down at her quizzical face. He could very well kill the meddling little witch for this, especially since he and Sarah were making such remarkable progress. Begrudgingly, he loosened his hold on Sarah's arm. "The 'queen' in question is one of my subjects. You'll find her quite challenging, of that I'm sure."

Sarah's chin lifted a fraction. "I can handle it. What is she, a goblin or a dwarf or something?"

"No, something much worse."

Sarah's expression screamed with curiosity.

Jareth sighed. "Etain is a faerie."

"You mean like the ones at the gates to the Labyrinth?"

"Almost," He said with an intense frown. "But not quite."

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Sorry it's so short! It's 5 am though and I gotta hit the sack. I promise I'll finish the next chapter soon! Happy New Year everyone!!!

My first resolution, is to stop staying up all night;) Hahaha.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth or its characters…sigh

Author's Note: Hello, hello everyone;) Thanks to all the wonderful people who have stuck with this story from the beginning and have reviewed. It really makes my year that people are actually enjoying this. Sorry for the huge delay but I am back in school and have a lot of classes to contend with besides a full-time job, so it may be a bit between chapters:( Don't worry though, I will keep writing!

Special thanks to Ergott as always for providing the best advice (And just being an all around incredible person;) Oh, by the by…I am now a member of fictionpress under the same pen name if anyone would like to read my original work. I would really love to have your opinions. Enjoy!

Chapter 10:

"May I?" Jareth asked in a quiet voice, extending his arm. Sarah blinked at his deference but hesitantly placed her hand in the crook of his arm. His velvet jacket felt warm against her skin and oddly enough, comforting in some manner.

"You're not going to throw me to the wolves this time?"

He laughed, causing the tiny hairs on the back of her neck to stand at attention. _He has such a marvelous voice_, she mused humorlessly. When he laughed, the sound echoed across her skin for hours afterward. She frowned. Not that it made her happy to admit it though, even to herself.

"Not tonight my dear." He replied, leading her down the corridor toward the throne room. They strolled leisurely, as if he were reluctant to part company. Despite herself, she found her steps slowing ever so slightly to match time with his.

"Why not? I thought you wanted to win our wager." She noticed the flippant tone in her own voice and flinched. Why did she always have to sound like such a shrew? Here he was being nice for the first time in his life and she just had to ruin it by opening her big mouth. She wasn't a bitchy person by nature. Why did she always have to behave so coarsely around him?

_You don't trust him remember?_ No. She didn't, did she? Just because he made her a few promises and seemed to be following through with them, didn't mean that he wasn't still the Goblin King. The Goblin King was cold, ruthless and vindictive.

_Jareth will never do anything without first considering the benefit to himself. _She told herself for the hundredth time that evening. Jareth was playing the game; that was all. Or was he?

Jareth paused at the throne room door, causing her skirts to rustle against the toes of her shoes. "Sarah, I know it may be hard to believe but I can in fact keep a promise."

She flushed, embarrassed that he might have guessed the theme of her thoughts. "Why do you say that?" She asked, suspicious.

Jareth tsked. "Because I can easily see how conflicted you are at this moment and I want you to know that I mean to keep my word. I swore to treat you as a lady, which by your dress can be assumed without question and secondly, I promised to announce you to my subjects as queen. Is this not what you wanted of me?" There was a catch in his phrasing; she could hear it clear as a bell.

"Yes but…"

"Well, then your wish is my command…my lady."

Before she could raise an objection of any sort, Jareth snapped his gloved fingers and the door swung wide. Inside, the usual goblin ruckus greeted her eyes in merry abandon. The noise, stench and veritable rowdiness gave her stomach a slight turn. She wasn't looking forward to this, not at all. Every time she'd been in this room, something terrible had happened to her. She didn't know if she was up for another debacle of that sort this evening, especially since Jareth planned to be in attendance. She grit her teeth as he glided regally into the room, with her affixed to his arm like an invalid.

He pulled her closer, enough to whisper into her ear. His lips brushed against the skin behind her earlobe, eliciting a helpless shiver on her part. "Relax, Sarah. The first rule of being a queen, is never allowing your subjects to see any weakness."

Battling a solid lump in her throat, she managed to squeak out a response. "That's easy for you to say, you can zap them with magic if they don't listen."

A gloved finger coiled itself around one of her loose curls. "I don't know my dear, you seem quite adept at making me your slave…these goblins should be as nothing."

She turned toward him but he was already marching toward the throne, a disapproving scowl fixed to his face. "Silence!" He bellowed, drowning out every other sound. The goblins snapped to attention, facing the king with fearful, expectant faces. It was suddenly quiet enough, Sarah felt she could hear a pin drop.

Jareth tossed himself casually onto his throne, one leg propped over the arm. He looked irritable, arrogant and very, very royal. She had to stifle a gasp. What was wrong with her?

"I am most displeased." The weight of this statement drew a collective breath from the goblin court at large. Several goblins shifted uncomfortably where they stood.

"It seems that someone has been defying my orders."

The crowd erupted into a hundred squealing denials at once. Jareth raised a hand, the murmur ceased as if it had never been. Sarah couldn't help but be amazed.

"Whom set the Lady Sarah's dress ablaze?"

Dead silence.

"And doused her with putrescent water?"

Not so much as a whisper.

"And had the audacity and may I say, stupidity, to place a serpent beneath my throne?"

Nothing.

Jareth raised a dangerous eyebrow. "Really? Surely I didn't imagine such a sequence of events? Perhaps I should ponder the matter alone, while every one of you disgusting louts takes a holiday? The Bog of Eternal Stench is really quite lovely this time of year."

As an entity the goblins pounced on Snitch and Weasel, pushing them forward kicking and screaming. A hundred grubby fingers pointed down at the two protesting goblins, amid a rash of protestations of innocence. Jareth smirked, motioning for Sarah to stand beside him.

"Well, well," He said, taking her hand in his. Hers was shaking. "Sarah my dear, are these two the guilty party?"

When she didn't answer at once, he squeezed her hand. She looked down at the two squirming goblins. Snitch wailed, kicking out at Weasel who mumbled over and over that he hadn't done a thing; he claimed it was all Snitch's fault. Snitch in turn accused Weasel, causing the pair to roll about the floor in a mock fight.

Sighing heavily, Sarah nodded.

"Before you take these two idiots to their new homes in the Land of Stench," Every eye watched him warily. "Allow me to formally introduce your new Lady. I will not suffer a goblin to live that does not heed her wishes as if they were mine." He drew Sarah closer, his fingers wrapped tightly, possessively around her own.

"I Jareth, king of the Labyrinth and all the Underground, present you my queen…the Lady Sarah."

White-faced, Sarah's head snapped toward Jareth. "What are you doing?" She hissed through clenched teeth. Jareth shrugged.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?"

"Not like this!"

Jareth's answering grin set her cheeks aflame. "Too late to quibble over details now my dear."

Before she could open her mouth to deny him, every goblin in the room knelt, bowing their misshapen heads. Sarah's mouth went dry. This couldn't be happening!

"Now," Jareth began. "I want every corner of this Labyrinth to share this knowledge by nightfall. My queen, nay…_your_ queen, is to be honored and acknowledged by this entire kingdom. Any further slights against her office or her person will be considered an act of treason against your king. Am I perfectly clear?"

When not a soul stirred to answer, Jareth suddenly stood. His features contorted into a mask of raw fury. When he spoke, his voice was low and dangerous. "It's not wise to keep me waiting."

Nearly as one, the throng of goblin courtiers answered: "Yes your majesty." And then: "Long live the queen!"

"Very good. Now, remove these two miscreants from my sight."

A few goblins broke away from the crowd, seizing Snitch and Weasel by the shoulders. As they were unceremoniously dragged from the throne room, Sarah noticed a particular lack of argument.

Another pair of goblins approached her from behind, bearing a heavy, ornately carved chair between them. The chair was placed directly beside Jareth's throne. Bowing awkwardly, the pair indicated that she was to sit. Swallowing her refutations down like a bitter acid; Sarah calmly sat, her spine as stiff and straight as a board.

Jareth had outsmarted her again. Of course he had, damn the man to hell. But how had he done it? By doing everything she asked of him, as usual.

She snuck a surreptitious glance at her _king_, while he reseated himself on his throne, obviously pleased with himself. A sudden truth occurred to her out of nowhere.

Jareth didn't come to get her for revenge at all.

None of this, the game they were playing, the gifts and the great displays of power and generosity had anything to do with revenge.

_Jareth wanted her there_.

Quite simply, everything he'd done till now was in preparation for this very moment. He _wanted_ her to be his queen and what's more, he wanted her to _ask_ him for it. Silly chit that she was, she had. Giving him all the excuses he needed to walk her blindly into his plans. And what plans they were!

Sarah shivered to think that such a man would go to such lengths to acquire her. Her heart pulsed in her throat. How long had he been planning this?

_But what no one knew, was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl…_

She stifled a gasp, flinging her eyes away from him, her cheeks on fire. But it was just a story!

She argued with herself uselessly.

Deep down, she knew it had never been just another story.

There was no use telling herself it couldn't be true anymore.

Jareth had just tipped his hand and for the first time, Sarah realized she held all the aces.

The knowledge made her stomach flutter. The most beautiful, dangerous man she'd ever known..._loved her_! Her, the silly, flighty little waif who used to play dress up and sing show tunes for her stuffed animals. Jareth loved her. He knew her, everything about her from adolescence on and he wanted her despite herself.

Surprisingly, the realization wasn't unwelcome. Absently, she fingered the bracelet he'd given her less than an hour before. The man she saw in that room, who laughed with her and looked so shy and cautious; that was a side of him she'd never seen before. A side of him that was breathtaking.

She should be angry with him right now but, she wasn't. Whatever had prompted the sudden insight into his motives had also softened her opinion of him. The man in the dressing room had given her vital clues into the Goblin King's true nature. Or maybe she'd always known and was too impetuous too see it? Or even better yet, maybe she'd always known and was too _afraid_ to see it? Whatever the answer to the riddle, with this one sudden truth a dozen more sprang into her head. It was like watching every moment of time they'd spent together in fast-forward. His imperious temper, his arrogance, her childish reactions to him; they all suddenly made perfect sense. The last of her fear dwindled away to nothing.

Of course, he was a king. He wasn't used to be defied at every turn and yet, he seemed to anticipate it from her. Thus, his challenges. Every game he played with her since was a child had been to bind her closer to him. He manipulated her through her own stubbornness, her own refusal to see a fact as it lay right in front of her face; as he'd always done! How could she be so…so, stupid?

_You asked that the child be taken…I took him. You cowered before me…I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down…and I have done it all for you! I'm exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?_

A shaking hand covered her carefully painted mouth.

"Are you quite alright my dear?" Jareth asked, his voice laced with humor. He thought she was angry with him and furiously thinking of a way to squirm out of his clutches, as she normally would. If he knew what she was really thinking, he wouldn't be smiling at her now. He'd be terrified.

She spared him a long appraising glance, which refused to hint at the train of her thoughts. He looked quizzical and altogether too smug for her tastes, yet…

Why had he never just come out and told her how he felt? Why all the subterfuge?

_Because he knows you, better than you know yourself_.

Because he knew how she would have reacted, she would have rebelled, thrown it his face and lost him. That's why. He was trying to win her by outsmarting her foolish, brash pride. He was playing Devil's Advocate to her childhood perceptions of him, and slowly chipping them away, so she might see the man behind the fantasy.

And lo, see him she did. How in the world had she not noticed this before?

"I'm fine…Jareth. Just thinking, forgive me."

He blinked several times. His brows drew together slowly, as if he hadn't heard her correctly. She hadn't answered as he'd expected, good. It was a start.

She gave him her sweetest, most engaging smile. Surprising even herself with its utter sincerity. "Thank you Jareth."

He looked at her like she'd just sprouted antlers. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Suppressing a smirk, she beamed at him. "Thank you for doing as I asked, as always."

The look on his face! Ha! She had him now. She would show him that there was more to her than met the eye.

Not wanting to spoil her small victory she turned to Skrunt, still smiling broadly. "I believe his majesty and I are expecting a visitor? Would you please bring the Faerie Queen to us? I would loathe for her to think us rude."

Skrunt only hesitated long enough to take in the sight of his flabbergasted king, sitting stone still on his throne, with his mouth hanging wide open. As the old goblin disappeared through the crowd, Sarah had the extreme pleasure to observe the other goblins staring at her in a similar manner.

She smiled at them all, thinking she had the game in the bag.

_Oh Jareth, _she thought. _If you only knew how the tables were about to turn._

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Someone mentioned Sarah not being a 'likable' character. I can see where they might have gotten that impression but I promise, she's got her good points. If she just gave in and fainted into his arms with love, then she wouldn't hardly be the Sarah we all love…would she?

I think you'll find enough to like about her in the chapters to come;)


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own it...but I like to play with it;)

Author's note: It's been a while, I know. School, work and boyfriends keep a girl busy. Lol. I haven't forgotten this story though and have a few more surprises in store for those of you who are kind enough to appreciate my ramblings. Thanks to all of you who reviewed and encouraged me to keep writing:)

Chapter 11:

Jareth's fists clenched of their own accord.

_What is happening here?_ He thought, entirely bemused. Sarah, his Sarah..the most predictable, stubborn of females was behaving wholly out of character. She sat beside him, looking like a fallen star and smiling as pleasantly and complacently as only a satisfied woman could be. He swallowed, hard.

_This can't be right. Why isn't she raving at me?_ She should be furious. Those emerald eyes should be fairly sparking with rage at such a misuse of power. He knew very well what she would have thought had he actually shared his plans with her. She wouldn't have come so willingly to the throne room on his arm then. But this...this was unexpected.

His plan: to proclaim her queen throughout the Labyrinth, legally, bindingly and without recourse. What was done could never be undone, whether she knew it or not and yet, she wasn't so great a fool as to miss the implications in his speech. Another plan to further bind her to him irrevocably, had been executed flawlessly.

_So, what went wrong?_

He frowned, vaguely aware of the commotion beyond his throne. Etain, the noisy, arrogant little faerie leader was being escorted to his dais in chains. Tiny chains, though they were. Forcing himself to tear his eyes away from Sarah's too calm face, Jareth made sure to look down his regal nose at his prisoner.

He opened his mouth to speak and once more snapped it shut as Sarah's too soft voice lilted through the room. "Is it really necessary for her to be chained this way?" She asked. It took him a moment to realize that she was addressing him. Her eyes tested his, almost teasingly. He swallowed, forcing the indifference of the Goblin King's veneer into his shamefully quavering voice.

"I believe I warned you that she was not to be taken lightly." He said, rather more curtly than intended.

Sarah's eyebrows lifted in disbelief. A soft laugh escaped her throat. His felt his blood burn in his veins.

Did she honestly intend to mock him? Before he could give the little shrew the tongue lashing he so ached to, she turned to the faerie instead. Jareth felt slighted, despite himself.

He wasn't sure what was going on in her head but he knew whatever it was, boded ill for his plans. The knowledge made his jaws grind against each other in irritation.

"What did she do to deserve being chained up like this?" Sarah asked, eying Skrunt carefully. The goblin blanched, looking from her to Jareth and back again. More aggravated than he'd ever been in his life, Jareth waved a dismissive hand.

"Answer her majesty's question Skrunt."

The goblin shifted, clearing his throat. "Well, the accused keeps growin' the flowers outside the walls. Them flowers be an eyesore and smelly to boot. Majesty says not to grow 'em and she," he jabbed a thumb at the little faerie in his palm. "She orders her minions to keep 'em bloomin', which be against majesty's orders."

The little faerie's chin was high. "I do not recognize the Goblin King's supremacy over my faeries! We were here long before the Labyrinth and we'll be here long after it is gone. I have broken no law. Your king is a bully and a sneak-thief!"

Skrunt shrugged. "Ah, and she be mean as well."

Etain's gossamer wings shimmered when she snorted. "Mean? I? For defending my faeries and myself from continuous and blatant attacks against our species by you revolting, addle-brained goblins?!" Her voice was shrill, girlish. It only made Jareth's headache worse. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Skrunt shook his head at Etain's diatribe. "See, I told ya."

"Pardon me, Etain is it?" Sarah offered, leaning forward to get a better view of the prisoner who was so small, it was hard to make out her facial expressions. The faerie shifted, narrowed eyes on this new, potential foe.

"QUEEN Etain, to you."

Sarah flushed but maintained her calm composure. Jareth was impressed, albeit grudgingly. Dealing with the faerie menace had always brought out the worst in him. They were a vexing problem. Never doing as they were told, harassing his goblins at every opportunity and defiant unto death. Even if he had a taste for the foul-smelling mayflowers they so dutifully tended, the faerie horde would only find something else he disliked to favor. It was merely the defiance they strove for, nothing more or less.

"I'm sorry, Queen Etain then. What do you propose to alleviate the tensions between the goblins and your faeries then?" Sarah replied, looking at the faerie interestedly. Jareth tensed. It would not do to encourage the little troublemaker so.

"Sarah, be mindful of your station." He warned through his teeth.

She spared him a single glance before resuming her concentrated study of the prisoner. "I'm just trying to hear her side Jareth. There's no harm in that."

His mere headache was swiftly becoming more of an out-right pound. Damn the woman to hells. "I'm well aware what you mean to do. I'm just illustrating that you're doing so against my wishes."

It was Sarah's turn to snort, causing the faerie to gaze at the human female with renewed interest. "Hey, you gave me the job. I have the better part of a month to see if I can't do it better than you, remember? Maybe this is just one of the things you could've handled more efficiently." She smiled beautifully into his ever reddening face and turned sharp, green eyes again toward the faerie. "I would like to hear what you have to say."

The crowd gasped collectively. No one had ever defied their king in such a manner. Not ever! All goblins in the audience backed up, waiting for the imminent explosion. At least they'd only had to bow to this alien queen once before Jareth had her bones ground to dust. So much for her long reign!

Jareth was quiet. He stared at Sarah unwaveringly for so long, the clock seemed to halt its passage. Sarah's cheeks were flushed but she met his gaze evenly, calmly as before. His eyes roamed over her lovely, regal posture again and again, trying to pin-point exactly what he was going to do with her. Clearly, she had plans of her own.

His mis-matched eyes narrowed dangerously, eliciting a gasp from the waiting crowd of supplicants. They all knew very well what was likely to happen when the king was in this sort of mood.

Heads were about to roll, no mistake.

When he finally spoke, it was to Skrunt though his angry eyes lingered on Sarah's person. "Well, far be it for me to prevent her ladyship's education. Answer the question at your leisure, faerie." Ice wouldn't melt in his mouth.

Jaws dropped, withheld breaths escaped gullets in torrents of air. Had they all heard right? The lady had blatantly defied the king and she yet lived? Unbelievable! What was her power, that the king would cater to her whims thus? Whispers passed among the throng like fire through bramble. A hundred pairs of eyes shifted nervously from one ruler to the other.

Were they really going to have a queen? Truly?

Another pair of eyes trained on the lady, whose lovely face neither hinted at the disturbance in the room or the deep glower of the king beside her. Etain stared unabashedly at Sarah like she'd appeared out of thin air.

"You...who are you to make requests me?" Her tiny voice quavered ever so slightly. Jareth at least had the pleasure of knowing she was as out of her element as he was.

Sarah smoothed the folds of fabric in her lap, for all the world looking as lovely as modest as a Christian saint. Eyes lowered, she answered: "I'm Sarah, your highness. I'm Jareth's queen."

_I'm Jareth's queen._

He could barely keep himself in his seat. The very words he'd been longing to hear for most of her life had sprung from her lips in such a satisfied manner, he would almost suspect that she was pleased at the prospect. Every fiber, muscle and bone in his body cried out to collect her and dash from the room, where he could make good on the promise those simple words made. Someone made a harsh, strangled sound and to his dismay, he realized it was himself.

Thankfully, neither female paid him any mind at all. Their eyes were all for each other. One questing another challenging. A host of shivers coursed down his spine. This would not do at all!

"You are THE Sarah? The vanquisher of the Labyrinth?"

"Yes."

The faerie laughed, the sound was high and grating. "But that is preposterous! Why would the Mighty Sarah wish to rule the Labyrinth with such a pig as him?" She jabbed a tiny forefinger toward Jareth, who was too astounded by Sarah's comment to register the insult.

"That's my business. Do you want to plead your case or not?"

Sarah's voice took on a steely edge. Etain blanched, clearly not understanding the recent turn of events. Several moments passed before she answered. "You would hear my requests, when the Goblin King will not? Why would you do this? Never has the king offered such and I have tried many, many times."

"I am not the king, so I can't answer for him." Jareth felt a twinge of something akin to rebuke in her tone. His frown as well as his headache, deepened by the second.

"Even if you are his queen, he would never honor a bargain made with my kind." Etain spat, glaring at the pair on the dais like they were each molded of putrescent clay.

"Is that so?" Sarah said, turning again to a severely conflicted Jareth. "Jareth, you have made me queen in my own right. For one month I have reign over all your goblins and all the other creatures living in the Labyrinth, is that not so?"

_Here it comes_. Jareth thought with a groan. "That is true, to a point. You know the rules."

She ignored the warning hint. "Well, if that's the case then I want to renegotiate our contract."

Jareth shot to his feet so fast, he might have been pulled by strings. "What the devil do you mean, _renegotiate?_" His body tensed, causing his subjects to retreat against the far wall of the throne room. An aura of menace practically seeped from Jareth's infuriated features.

"You want me here, don't you Jareth?" She queried lightly, rising to meet him face-to-face. Her eyes met his with a smile. His breath caught in his chest. What was the little minx about now? Her face seemed innocent enough, though her words tore into his heart without mercy.

"Perhaps." He managed, though it cost him dearly to evade telling her the whole truth. He wanted her in ways she could never imagine. He must tread cautiously, these were uncharted and dangerous waters. His Sarah couldn't be asking to stay with him. Not so readily anyway. There was a heavy toll ahead, he could feel it in his bones.

"What was it you said? If I beat you at your own game, I can have anything I desire right? If I lose, then you'd have me at your mercy." She waited for him to nod in agreement. "Well, how about upping the stakes? If I lose, I will stay with you of my own free will."

Mind racing, palms twitching, Jareth nearly reeled. Every ounce of strength left in his body spent itself in keeping his utter shock from his face. A deep breath was the only testament that he'd heard her. He weighed out each of his words before he could trust himself to speak. "And if you win?"

"You make me queen in my own right, alone. Not of the entire Labyrinth of course, only the half that you neglect regularly. The faeries for one, would be my subject only to me."

_Ahh. She plays a deep game, does my Sarah._ Thought Jareth, feeling a slow smile spread over his mouth. So that's what she wanted. She wasn't about to settle for a half victory this time. She wanted equal footing. She wanted _him_ at _her_ mercy, for a change. Despite his nature, he was more pleased than he could say.

His Sarah wanted to stay in the Labyrinth. Nothing in all the universe could be more surprising or satisfying than this, whatever the catalyst. He was absolutely sure she wanted to stay, he could hear it in her voice, read it in her body language. What happened to make her change her mind?

Whatever the answer, he was sure she had yet to recognize her own decision but equally assured of its validity. He had her! He would have her still! Renewed confidence surged through him. "As my lady wishes, as always."

Her eyes danced with what he imagined was triumph. If she only knew how much this victory would cost her, she wouldn't be so self-assured...and yet, perhaps not. The day's events had twisted in a most remarkable way!

"Okay, since we're agreed on the new arrangement, I want to ask a boon of my own."

His mood was so improved, he almost forgot to be wary. "Yes?"

"I want these subjects now. If I lose, they will be yours again but until the month is out at least, I'd like the chance to be a better ruler than you."

He couldn't help it, he threw his head back and laughed. Well, well. His Sarah wasn't as predictable as he might have thought. His bow was as elegant as it was mocking. "As you wish, my queen."

Ignoring the implied joke, Sarah turned to a shocked and trembling Skrunt. The goblin near jumped out of his skin when she addressed him. "Release the faerie queen at once! I will speak to her alone tomorrow morning. Until that time, she will be treated as my guest. She will have food, lodging and privacy as she likes, is that understood?"

No face in the throne room was without awe at that moment and none were more taken-aback than Etain herself. The faerie, curtsied as gracefully as she could given the shock.

"I look forward to this meeting, your majesty." She said, as Skrunt led her away from the throne-room, sans the jangling of tiny chains. The goblin slipped them into his pocket in his haste to be free of the out-right weirdness in the hall. Many goblins followed his lead, escaping as quickly as they could while the king was distracted.

So they were to have a queen after all? They whispered and japed upon exiting. If that didn't beat all!

Sarah watched them all leave with a happy smile, unaware that Jareth's attention was fully focused on her. She jumped as his hand found the curve of her elbow. "Sarah, since you have claimed a boon, I hardly feel it would be impertinent of me to ask a favor of my own."

Her expression darkened. "I knew you would. So what's it to be this time, Jareth? Changed your mind about racking me?"

"Not hardly my dear, though you certainly would look fetching stretched out beneath me." She blushed crimson and looked away. Jareth chuckled. As he suspected, she wasn't as immune to him as she pretended. The knowledge warmed parts of him that were better left unmentioned, at the moment anyway.

"No, I had something else in mind altogether actually. I'm suddenly reminded that if you do indeed win our little wager, I would be completely at the mercy of your feminine whims. Why, you may spurn me altogether and leave me entirely without your...attentions."

Her green eyes flashed dangerously, arousing him more by the second. He knew he wasn't wrong in his assumption that she wanted him, there it was in her eyes, her body. He pulled her against his chest, imprisoning her arms beneath his own. "What are you doing Jareth? This isn't funny."

"I assure you it isn't meant to be. If I also recall correctly, my oath to leave you untouched until the wager is decided has recently been rescinded."

She paled, squirming for all she was worth. "That's not fair! Dammit Jareth, you SAID you weren't going to force yourself on me like this! You SAID you were going to wait for me to ask you."

"Who said anything about forcing you? I'm not going to ravish you against your will Sarah, such behavior is as beneath me as it is unnecessary. No, what I want is very simple and easily given...unless of course, you wish to admit that you desire me?"

"As if I would!"

"Come, come Sarah. There's no need to be embarrassed. All I'm asking for is the right to kiss you as I please, when I please and all you have to do is pretend that you don't enjoy it. That seems fair to me. After all, if I repulse you as greatly as you say...we'll find out rather easily won't we?"

Sarah glared at him with all the fury she could muster. "You're daring me to let you kiss me? Do you have any idea how pathetic that sounds?"

He shrugged. "If you plan to be cowardly, I can always take your boon back."

"Damn you! How did I know you would find a way to twist things to your liking?"

"Because you know me my dear, almost as well as I know you." He purred, running a thumb over her lower lip. She shivered and blushed more forcefully from the betrayal of her own body. "It's just a kiss, Sarah. I won't eat you."

She grit her teeth. "Fine. But don't expect a big reaction."

"Of course not." He said, laughing aloud as she clamped her lips tight, squeezed her eyes shut. His foolish, surprising, maddening Sarah. Removing his gloves, he knotted his fingers in the silken hair at the nape of her neck and tugged, removing a gasp from her throat. The long, white column of her neck lay exposed to his hungry eyes.

"Oh Sarah, you always agree before you know what you're in for. I did say _where_ I please." He whispered against her earlobe before his lips and tongue went to work on the flesh of her décolletage. When the first moan escaped her mouth, Jareth smiled at her loss.

This was going to be a very, very long night.

Ha! Long as hell and leaving you with a cliffie! Hope it was worth the wait;) R&R please.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I still don't own it...but it's still fun to play with:)

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. As always, I only catch errors after I've posted...sorry bout that, heh;) I tend to have this bad habit of editing per line, instead of doing the final read through. Takes a long time and turns out badly but hey, hopefully I'll do better this time. And I do believe someone remarked that the story moves too quickly. Well, that may be and I'm sorry if it comes off that way but I prefer to keep the characters moving as opposed to bogging them down with fancy adjectives and heavy dialogue. If it's not your cup of tea, it's cool...just don't burn it to cinders! It's mean;p

Anyhoo...enjoy!

Chapter 12:

Sarah felt light, disconnected. Her body seemed to be moving at great speeds, though her feet were firmly glued to the stone floor. Her blood rushed beneath her skin, fueled by the ever-increasing tempo of her thudding heartbeat. Her head, a veritable plethora of conflicted thoughts and emotions.

Jareth's tongue grazed her shoulder, forcing another helpless shiver from her traitorous body. God help her if he finally made it to her mouth! She highly doubted she had a prayer of halting her responses in that event. Boy, did he know what he was doing! Good Lord.

Every feeble kiss she'd suffered since high school had been boring and sloppy by comparison. Jareth made her skin sing, her nerves went insane, sending chills in every direction imaginable. When his teeth found the soft-spot between her neck and shoulders, her eyes fluttered closed. She bit her lips to keep from crying out.

He paused, brushing his cheek against hers softly, almost reverently. His breath tickled her overtly-sensitive earlobe when he spoke. "Sarah, you're destroying my shirt."

Her eyes snapped open. Sure enough, her guilty hands had his collar in a white-knuckled grip, renting the flimsy fabric from the sleeves down. Mortified, she let go and hastily clasped her hands to her heaving chest. All the blood that had been traveling downward at top-speed was now climbing into her cheeks with a vengeance.

How unbelievably embarrassing! Mentally beating the ever loving shit out of herself for taking Jareth up on his bet, she buried her face in her hands and groaned. What the hell was wrong with her? One second, she was making a startling revelation and the next she was climbing into the Goblin King's body like he was a life-line. It's amazing what a girl will let a man do when she knows how he feels about her.

_Especially when the knowing makes her happy._

This was certainly one of those times she had no desire to argue with her subconscious. Damn it!

Jareth pulled her more tightly against him, cradling her head in either hand. She kept her eyes downcast, praying he would get bored and find something better to do. Instead, his hands slid down her shoulders, caressed her waist and slowly moved up again. As his fingers passed the undersides of her arms, she felt him shudder.

"What would you have me do, my lady?" He pressed the length of his body tighter to her own. One hand wound in her hair, destroying Ria's lovely chignon, the other palmed the base of her spine. She gasped into his chest. Quickly losing focus on her objectives. All she could feel was the press of his lean frame against hers. The only sound the harsh breathing at the base of her throat.

A week ago she would have struggled, would've hit him or worse. Now... now she couldn't bring herself to move at all. "I...I don't know." She answered as honestly as she was able. Jareth sighed into her hair.

"Lay down Sarah."

For the first time in what seemed hours, she took stock of her surroundings. They were no longer standing in the throne room. Plush white carpets and silken bed-curtains were the only witnesses to the finality of her humiliation. A roaring fire cast Jareth's bedchamber in a hazy glow, causing the golden shades of his hair to seem molten against his dark over-coat. He'd somehow zapped her into his room without her notice, further proof of the talented workings of his mouth.

Despite the normal irritation she felt at being manipulated at his hands, she couldn't say she was surprised by their sudden whereabouts. The bed beckoned, a hands-width behind her. Before she could panic and object as expected, Jareth crushed his mouth to hers with such force her knees buckled. The next thing she knew, she was inert on the mattress with him looking down at her tenderly. His fingers stroked the curve of her jaw, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"You have the finest skin I've ever seen. It's almost transparent. So soft, so warm. Do you enjoy this?" He asked, nipping the edge of her jaw, then gliding his tongue around the curve of her ear. A pitiful moan was his answer. God help her, he was good! She couldn't think at all when he touched her.

She knew she had to stop and yet, were those her hands curling into hair? Did her leg just wind itself around his waist? Definitely not! Though, the evidence of these actions was found in the mounting harshness of his breathing. Jareth's left hand slid slowly down her shoulder and across to her chest, pausing only at the rise of her left breast as it strained at the fabric of her too heavy gown.

She felt her body lift into his, as wantonly as her inexperienced libido could manage. Jareth's hand found her breast and he groaned. Something, some switch went off in Sarah's head. She could no longer control her body. An animalistic instinct she wasn't aware she had took over.

She tugged at his hair until his face was properly above hers. He had only a moment to look down at her surprised, before her mouth found his. Their bodies melded together seamlessly, as if made to be entwined. He made a harsh sound against her lips and jerked off his jacket and torn shirt, before lowering himself completely, artfully. His hips ground into hers mercilessly, tearing a shriek from Sarah's already hoarse vocal chords.

He froze, holding himself aloft on his elbows. "Did I hurt you?"

Sarah shook her head, taking advantage of the new space between their bodies. Her hands roamed his chest and throat like a blind woman examining a statue. Her breath came in gasps, her legs inching ever further apart by the second. Jareth's eyes squeezed shut over a pained expression.

"Stop that now love. You have no idea how good that feels...ahh, give me your hands." He encircled her wrists with his palms and pressed them into the pillows. He took several deep breaths, swallowing hard. "Forgive me. I hadn't meant to take it this far. If you will give me a moment to collect myself."

Reality crept into Sarah's head by inches. As the fog cleared, she had more time to realize just what the hell she was doing. Her face caught fire. She turned her head aside so she didn't have to face him. Just what was she thinking? Here she was panting like a whore in Jareth's bed, just like he'd promised her she would be! Oh for Christ's sake. She wished there was an oubliette nearby to crawl into.

He brushed his lips gently over her mouth and chin. "No, no love. Please don't be this way. This is the happiest moment of my life, truly."

Though she couldn't be sure why, a stray tear wormed its way out of her eye. Jareth's lips caught it before it could slide down her cheekbone. That only made it worse. A pathetic sort of muffled sob broke through the silence. She felt completely ridiculous crying at such a time but she couldn't help it. So many feelings sprang into her heart at once, the effect was overwhelming. Once the dam was open, there was no stopping the ensuing flood. He held her against him, as if cradling a child.

"Sarah, hush now. It'll be alright, I swear it. Here now, let's rest awhile. Just so." He said, rolling onto his back and pulling her head onto his bare chest. She could hear his steady hearbeat beneath her ears. The sound was soothing. He was so warm. His hands drew lazy circles over her back and hair.

When she was calm enough to speak, she shifted in his arms settling her cheek against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." She mumbled into his skin, feeling an utter fool.

Jareth chuckled low in his throat. The sound was husky, raising gooseflesh on her exposed skin. "Only what usually happens when two people are attracted to each other. Nothing to be ashamed of, I promise you."

"Whatever. You knew this would happen didn't you?"

"Well, no but I hoped...perhaps _prayed_ is a better word? You have no idea how badly I want you my dear. Just admitting the truth frightens me. If I lost you so easily...I have no idea how I would survive."

Sarah's heart swelled to abnormal capacity. What was this feeling? He had just casually admitted that her suspicions were correct. He loved her. He truly loved her! How was she supposed to respond to that? She had no idea how she felt about him. For years she'd thought he was merely a hallucination, a frightening, foreboding one to boot. Now, she knew he was real and with that knowledge came a thousand more doubts to plague her in the night.

He manipulated her, lied to her, rewound all of her perceptions to the point that she could never trust him and yet...what was this feeling?!

Had she always felt this way about him and not noticed? Was that even possible?

"Jareth," She whispered, hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Beneath her hands, his heart began to race.

A deep silence followed her question. After quite a long while, Jareth sighed.

"Sarah, I think you know I do."

She swallowed, the sound was a thunder-clap in the quiet of the chamber beyond. Summoning every ounce of courage she could muster, she prodded further. "Why? Why go to all this trouble for me? I'm a pretty regular sort of girl. No one special."

He looked at her seriously. "You're not ready for that answer my dear."

"Maybe I am." She challenged, doing her best to keep her voice even.

His eyes darted away. Bits of his golden hair strayed onto his collarbone. Sarah's fingers brushed them away absently, before she knew what she was doing. Cool fingers clasped hers, pulling her down to face him. "It won't work, darling. Give it time. When you're ready, we'll have this conversation again. Now, I would greatly enjoy waking up with you in my arms. May I stay here with you tonight? I promise to be a gentleman." A ghost of his usual smile flitted over his face.

"You promise you'll tell me?"

His eyes bored into hers with such intensity, her mouth went dry. "Sarah, when you're ready...nothing could stop me."

Ahhh! That one was a bit harder to finish! Time for bed:)


	13. Chapter 13

FF doc. 1303:19

Disclaimer: I own nada…sue me not!

Author's Note: I know, I know…I'm a slacker. Sorry to those of you who have been waiting so long for this update. I've got a year left on my degree and things have just gotten CRAZY busy this past year. I really appreciate everyone who's reviewed. It really does mean a lot! I hope this chapter will tide ya'll over for a while;)

Chapter 13:

Sarah's smug, victorious grin, grated on Jareth's nerves like sandpaper over a raw, bleeding wound. Only two days ago, they'd come to a particular understanding that might ultimately result in a final victory over their tumultuous relationship.

She embraced him, warmed to him. Accepted each of his kisses and caresses with vigor and damn it all…_enthusiasm._

Had he imagined the intimacy they'd shared, the outright, mind-numbing, blood-boiling passion she displayed in his arms? Certainly not. He wasn't capable of imagining such a perfect harmony of unbelievable circumstance. Had he known, whilst intending to tease her into a few shy kisses, that he would unleash such a sweet torrent of feeling; he might have attempted it sooner. How was he to know that she'd be capable, willing even, of melting into his arms so easily? Damn it all! What was going on in that head of hers? Didn't she know the suspense of not knowing was driving him mad?

For two days he neither ate nor slept, for fear of waking to find he'd dreamed it all. Two long, harrowing days in which he closeted himself in his tower, admitting no one; torturing himself with constant re-envisionings.

Sarah, beautiful and timid, twining her slim fingers into his hair, sighing into his mouth with pleasure. Her graceful cheek tucked into the crook of his arm as she slept, completely unaware of the riot of emotions plaguing him as he held her: wide awake and violently longing.

Where was that engaging sight now?

Where was that glorious smile, that flash of hesitancy and desire in her eyes? Where was that burgeoning yearning he'd only just begun to discover?

By God!

What was he to do? What more could she ask of him?

Should he kneel at her feet, crawl on his belly before her like a chastised dog? The sadistic and sorrowful truth being the likelihood that he would do it too, if she wanted him to.

Jareth's scowl was all-encompassing, pulling the edges of a finely chiseled mouth down into the hell of an awakening rage.

How dare she ignore him like this?!

Did she merely play at love? Did she truly have no idea just how much she'd wounded him? For two bloody days she would neither meet his eyes, nor so much as acknowledge his existence whenever he happened upon her. It was as if she'd tormented him purposefully, the thrice-damned, evil, heartless girl!

If she only knew how his veins cried out at the sound of her voice. How his muscles instinctively pulled his body in her direction when she was near, how his insides twisted into themselves when she met his eyes. The night they'd spent together _platonically_ was the single most torturous, blissful, _erotic_, night of his bloody life….and there she sat, smirking at him like a cat who's just had her fill of cream.

If he'd ever been more furious than this moment, he would be hard-pressed to remember it. He'd come to speak to her alone. To…he wasn't sure exactly. He only knew that he couldn't remove the former evening from his mind. Ready to damn all his carefully constructed plans to multiple hells, if she truly felt for him as her actions suggested. He was ready to tell her all, to debase himself in any manner he was able. To grovel, if need be. Damn his pride, whatever she wanted: he couldn't spend another night without her in his arms.

If only he'd never kissed her. If only she hadn't opened to him the way she had, clutched his body to hers, moaned his name as his hands caressed her heated skin. If only he'd never laid a bloody hand on her!

He had to physically restrain himself from lashing out at the nearest object to hand. The only testament to the largesse of his inflated temper was the slight twitch in the corner of his mouth. He had an audience after all, it would behoove him to maintain his dignity.

Even now, though the rage singed into his heart like a fuse; she perched in a high-backed chair in what was once _his_ bloody library, holding court over Etain's unwanted horde of Faerie intruders. Amidst the myriad gossamer wings flitting around her, a glowing halo of annoying pests; Sarah's haughty smile was an arresting sight to behold. Damn her glorious eyes!

Etain, the lead-pest herself, snorted inelegantly at his emergence from a darkened corner. Before he could lift an intimidating eyebrow in the little demon's direction, she sniffed disdainfully, looking back at her mistress with interest.

"The king for you, majesty." The faerie said distastefully. "I assure you, _I_ did not invite him."

Sarah's answering laugh sent chills down Jareth's already rigid spine. His scowl deepened to a stonecutter's degree. She lifted a teasing eye in his direction, causing his shoulders to twitch, ever so slightly. She held a yellowing roll of parchment with one hand, a bejeweled inkpot in the other- a pair of twinkling sprites balancing a peacock-feathered quill between them; alternatately dipping the utensil in the inkpot and hovering over the parchment in her fingers. Save for the awkward scratching of the quill and the flittering of a multitude of tiny wings; the library was almost peacefully silent.

To his intense ire, he had never seen Sarah looking so beautiful.

She wore a soft, rose-colored gown that brought out the healthy, charming flush in her cheeks. Her silken, sinfully black hair swept off of her throat in a fascinating complex of curls laden with an unimaginable array of miniature flowers and ribbons of every hue. Small gemstones winked at him from their careful placement at the corners of her bright, emerald eyes. A trio of fairies busied themselves around her person, weaving and tucking more fripperies into her hair and gown. Another set, fluttered around her head, sprinkling something that smelled atrociously tantalizing around her chair.

The whole damned library was filled with annoying, buzzing wings, busy at one task or another. Dusting here, polishing there. The leather casements alone shone with such polish, that he was sure he might be able to see his own reflection in them, were he in the mood.

Windows were open, masses of fairies were dutifully planting and growing a veritable crowd of gillyflowers in newly erected window boxes, filling the breeze with another, too sweet scent. Several others were ardently working in crews to scrub at a stubborn stain on the parquet floor.

To all of this, Jareth barely lifted an eyelash. It was Sarah that filled his vision, despite all other irritating distractions.

"Well," He said finally, after some time. "What have we here?"

Etain's superior stare bored into his. "Her majesty is conducting court at present, sir." The last was nearly spat, he wasn't too pleased to notice. "Should you wish to speak with her, you must have an appointment."

Jareth nearly erupted right then. He took a menacing step forward, causing a flurry of vicious, snapping wings to surround Sarah, like a moving shield. What the hell was going on here?

How dare that little demonic gnat speak to him thus in his own castle!

"Do you call impertinence here Etain, or do you mean to force me to outright genocide?" He practically roared into the swirling mass of iridescent wing beats. His temper would certainly get the better of him in this situation, he had no doubt.

"That's enough ladies." Sarah whispered from behind that shining curtain. Instantly, the vortex ceased; the faerie menace subsided, workers going back to previous tasks as if nothing at all had occurred. Jareth was simply speechless.

Had she just made a command that was obeyed more readily than even his goblins obeyed his, to these bloody, ill-luck _faeries_?

Sarah looked up at him apologetically. "I'm sorry Jareth. They get carried away sometimes."

A vein nearly burst in his forehead. "Is that so? And what pray tell, is there to get so carried away about?" He measured each one of his words carefully, to be sure that he did not lunge at her like an animal.

"You were threatening her Majesty." Etain, the newly freed and apparently employed nuisance once more answered for her, a habit that was sure to get her killed at this rate. "We will not allow _anyone_ to harm our queen. Not even you, Goblin King."

Jareth needed to sit down. Out of nowhere, a chair materialized beneath him, accepting his reeling form with an audible creak. A shaking hand smoothed the creases of his cravat, absently.

"_Your_ queen, Etain? I thought you recognized no authority from my kingdom."

The little devil crossed her diminutive arms. "She may be your queen in name only Jareth but she is far more worthy of a throne than you will ever be. Had you been paying attention, you would have realized we faeries swore undying fealty to her majesty two days ago. She is _our_ queen now and there isn't a thing you can do about it."

Jareth's fists clenched. "Sarah…I would speak with you alone. Now."

He put every ounce of effort he had into evening his voice. Sarah shifted slightly in her seat.

"Etain, that will be all for now."

"But your majesty, we cannot protect you if you send us away! Look at his face. He intends violence, I'm sure of it."

"If you do not vacate this room immediately, I assure you, your assumption will be correct." He nearly hissed. He was absolutely sure that there would be a faerie funeral this day, if Etain and her accomplices didn't leave his sight.

Sarah cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Etain, I will be all right. Go for now."

A look of actual pain crossed Etain's worried face. She turned hateful, twinkling eyes on Jareth as if he were the lowest worm to crawl into the Underground.

"If you harm her, we will avenge her with every ounce of our strength!" She spat with real venom, lifted into the air with her company and disappeared through the open window, into the warm evening air beyond. The silence in the library was near deafening minus the thrum of hundreds of pairs of petite wings.

Suddenly alone with Sarah, Jareth felt his anger cool despite the urge to stoke the coals irrevocably. He was spoiling for a fight with her. Anything to take his mind off of those feelings of rejection and neglect that crept into his unwilling heart. Anger was better, easier to manifest and maintain.

"Are you mad at me, Jareth?" She asked, her voice light, small.

The effect of that voice, nearly squeezed every angry thought from his mind. His hands relaxed on the chair arms. "I am…perturbed, yes."

"Why? I'm not doing anything we haven't agreed on, you know. Why does it upset you so much?"

Foolish chit. She was so sharp in every area, save this. Did he have to spell it out for her? "The faeries are a perplexing issue, yes, and though I would dearly love to hear what you promised to win them over so completely; they are merely a side-note to what plagues me this day."

She rose, her skirts rustling together when she moved. "Well, what did I do then? I've been working very hard the past couple of days, so I can't really imagine what's got you so testy. I mean, I'm trying to do a good job here. Like you. What's the point in being your queen if I can't get at least a few things right?"

His head came up. He might have missed it, it happened so fast. Did she just refer to herself as his queen? His heart beat against his ribcage like a caged beast. All of his hurt and confusion over the last two days vanished with one simple phrase.

He cleared his throat. He must be very, very careful.

"Indeed?" His smooth, Goblin King veneer spread over his tongue like honey. "And what exactly have you accomplished, save inviting scores of unwanted pests into my palace?"

Sarah made a decidedly unladylike sound through her nose. "Palace huh? More like a chicken coop overrun with walking, talking, drunken rats."

"Come again my dear?" He said, pretending he hadn't heard the insult.

She shrugged. "Look, you gave me the faeries. Remember?"

"The memory is regrettably prevalent, yes."

"So why are you angry if they're only doing what I asked them to do…which by the way, is what you said I could do?"

Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "That is perhaps the most dizzying arrangement of syllables I've ever been forced to hear."

Her heard her skirts rustle near his chair, looking up just in time to witness her most petulant frown. Good. Served the wench well to have a taste of her own medicine. He might just have a proper row with her after all.

His evening appeared to be looking up.

"You're jealous aren't you?" She asked from as elevated a position as possible. The better to glare down her slim nose at him. He would've been amused if he were capable of it at the moment.

"I beg your pardon Sarah? Jealous you say? Of what should I be jealous?"

"I'm beating you at your own game and you don't like it." Snide words on such a lovely face. He was half tempted to wrap his fingers around her attractive throat. He felt himself rise without actually commanding his muscles to move. She backed up a pace at his steady approach.

"Forgive me my dear but I'm afraid I must be losing my hearing. Did you say you were winning?"

She squared off, her shoulders straight and firm. "That's exactly what I'm saying Jareth. You're a sour loser you know? Over the past two days, if you'd bother to check, the castle has been scrupulously cleaned and restored, the goblins are actually working instead of running around setting things on fire and guzzling their own weight in beer. The gardens, kitchens and cellars have all been inventoried and restocked. I've even got those lazy, loutish goblins of yours cleaning up Goblin City! That's more work than I've ever seen done around here, well, ever!"

Jareth's icy eyes frosted over dangerously. "Oh? And how did you manage all of these tasks my sweet, simple Sarah? Hmm? Did you scrub the floors yourself, with your own lovely hands? I suppose you counted and restocked every item in the cellar and garden? And in your dubious spare time, you've set about cleaning up the streets in the city with only your own hard sweat to aid you, eh?" He tsked. "My, my but you surely must be exhausted my dear. Please allow such a simple and well-meaning servant as I, to ease you to a much deserved rest."

He took a menacing step toward her, she skidded away, eyes wide.

"Of course I didn't do it all alone Jareth."

He tugged at his right glove with his teeth, absently removing and storing it in an interior pocket of his velvet waistcoat. "Well then, that would negate the terms of our arrangement wouldn't it Sarah?"

He heard the angry stamp of a heel against a newly polished floor, concealing a rueful smile. He did so love her in a temper.

"I can't believe this! YOU gave me the faeries of your own free will dammit! You can't go back on your word when it suits you, you rotten, evil, perverse…"

"Mmm, Sarah I do love your endearments."

"You sonofabitch! You can't be serious? You…"

"No, no, love. You mustn't gush. It's embarrassing, really."

Her eyes spit green flames, her breathing labored but measured. Several moments passed while she tried to reign in her temper. When she finally spoke, each word had to crawl from between her teeth.

"I know what you're doing and I don't like it."

A mock hand flew to his chest. "You must be joking, I merely came to speak with you and here you are goading me into another argument. You're really quite a cruel girl, you know."

"Oh no you don't. I know why you're picking a fight with me today Jareth and I think it's very immature."

His expression boasted otherwise. "Really? I hadn't realized you were so temperamental Sarah. I pick a fight with you? Ridiculous."

She stomped over to him, her cheeks flaming. "You're mad at me because I didn't sleep with you, aren't you? So you're picking on me to make yourself feel better about it! What a totally lame, asinine…guy-thing to do!"

Paydirt, as they say in slang.

Now he had her and didn't even have to bring the topic up himself.

His answering smile to her tirade, was serene, beatific. "Ah but my lovely, sweet girl…I believe that _you_ were more than willing. Eager, might be a more appropriate term."

Sarah's face matched the color of her dress in entirety. "I asked you to stop."

Jareth shook his head as elegantly as possible. "No my dear. If I recall correctly and I am rarely wrong, it was I who halted our progress. Not your charming self, I'm afraid."

She looked ready to strike him.

He couldn't resist a smile.

She was far too easy to goad, his Sarah. Predictable even.

He moved closer to her, knowing very well that she was too furious to back off now. Her posture practically screamed 'fight'.

She said nothing as he advanced. Seeing the disadvantage in their argument, no doubt. At this speed, he'd have her right where he wanted her in an eyeblink.

"What's the matter Sarah? Memory loss? Do I need to offer you a reminder?"

Suddenly, a wide, crooked sort of smirk spread itself over her lips. Jareth's hand halted its trajectory toward her bare shoulder.

"Okay Jareth."

He frowned. "Have I missed something?"

She stepped into him, his outstretched palm finding that naked shoulder by the force of her movement. Her eyes, large and liquid stared up into his challengingly. He repressed the urge to swallow.

"Jareth," She breathed. He flinched. What game was this? This wasn't a part of his plan at all. Her hands slowly slid up his chest, to his open collar and over the skin at his neck. The sensation was amazing, far too pleasurable and damned alarming.

"I've been wondering this non-stop for two days now. Why do you always want to pick a fight with me when you really want me to do this?"

Her fingers glided into the hair at the nape of his neck. He had to focus very, very hard not to shiver and groan as he wanted to. Instead, he might have been carved from marble he moved so little.

"I'm quite sure I have no idea what gave you that notion."

One of her eyebrows drifted into her hairline. "Oh? And what if I asked you to kiss me now? What would you say to that?"

Was it suddenly unbearably warm in the library? Jareth was losing his icy façade and he knew it. His hand already wound its way from her shoulder, halfway down her partly unclothed back. His fingers met with her bodice stays, giving her the slightest of shivers. It was the harbinger of his end.

"Sarah, beware. If this is another of your ploys, I'm afraid it will end the worse for you. Will you please stop moving your fingers?"

The harridan actually had the audacity to giggle at him. "Nope. I like seeing this side of you, Jareth."

His eyes were about to roll into his head. He could barely recall the last five seconds of their conversation. "Do you?"

"Mmhmm. See, that's much better than fighting isn't it?"

Oh yes. So much so that if she didn't stop soon, he would throw her to floor and give her physical appreciations aplenty. Somehow, his lips were nearing her earlobe. His mindless left hand poised ready to act at her bodice stays. Her breasts, which he'd thus far been very careful to avoid eye-contact with up till now; pressed into his chest, straining against the upward force of her corset. She smelled so good, so utterly enchanting.

Her lips grazed his collarbone, tearing a harsh sound from his throat.

"You're not really angry with me, are you Jareth." She whispered against his skin. A bone-shredding sort of shudder rent through his midsection.

"Sarah, are you trying to drive me mad?"

"You haven't answered me. Do you want to kiss me or not?"

He pulled her face into his, gaining full access to those teasing green eyes. Her lips were literally inches from his.

"You know very well what I want."

"Then ask me."

"Sarah, I'm not…"

She pulled away slightly, enough to make the new distance feel like an ocean. Jareth groaned despite himself. "Jareth, do you want me or not?"

He hesitated, wary. This was not a side of her he'd ever seen.

"Yes."

A slow, satisfied smile covered her mouth. "Good."

She pulled his head down to hers, pressing those lips so forcefully to his that he almost staggered backwards. He couldn't have been more surprised or ecstatically pleased about anything as he was about the pressure of her lips against his…all her own doing. What other miracles did she have concealed inside that brain of hers?

His hands knotted into the tumbling cascade of her hair, crushing her body against his. By god there'd be no stopping him now. She'd just sealed her fate, as far as he was concerned.

She broke away slightly, a little frown shading her brow. "Jareth, what was that noise?"

He hadn't heard a thing. He went for her lips once more but a bustling directly to their right stopped him cold. Wing beats at the window casing. Sarah's hand froze at his shirt buttons, her hair entirely unkempt.

"Majesty!" Cried Etain's shrill voice from amidst the moving, fairy cloud. "Look at the beast! He's attacking our queen!" Sarah buried her face in her hands.

"Oh no!"

Jareth had only that moment to form an actual scowl before the onslaught of transparent wings, nipping teeth and sharp needlepoints accosted his personage. The mood effectively destroyed, Jareth pondered that his situation had gone from best possible scenario to sharp plummet in a manner of seconds.

Again, the irony was not lost on him.


	14. Chapter 14

FF. DOC. 1419:56

Disclaimer: Wish I owned it…but I don't. (Le sigh).

Author's Note: Had some free time this week, so I thought I'd give it a two-fer. Heheh. I guess I forget sometimes how much fun this story actually is to write. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys make my week.

Chapter 14:

Sarah had the game in the bag. She knew, deep down, that Jareth was a hair's breadth from surrender. Last night had been more than a revelation; it was a blaring siren.

Jareth, the Goblin King: the mighty, widely-feared, nonchalant ruler of countless fearsome creatures; was in fact hopelessly in love with her. Confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt, with a single, willing kiss.

Sarah's lips were still swollen from that encounter. Her fingers absently flitting to her mouth all day, eliciting a series of brilliant blushes at the memory.

He loved her, he loved her, _he really loved her!_

Thus far she'd only suspected. The niggling suspicion that he meant only to pursue his revenge against her had been entirely blocking what had been clearly in plain sight all along. She was a woman, dammit. She should have at least guessed at the real cause behind each of his appearances into her life. How could she have been so blind? So unbelievably stupid?

First, he'd been the over-idealized villain born of her own adolescent fantasies. A man, cold and beautiful, dedicated to challenging her very own nature. Now he was slowly chiseling that image away by letting her catch very timely glimpses into the man behind the proverbial mask. Beneath that frosty charade, he was in fact a warm, sensual man with a thousand complexities that no woman could refuse for very long.

Not even, herself.

He was charming, yes. Too charming. Beneath every infamous sarcastic quip, lay a deeper empathy that he would never express. He wasn't nearly as cavalier as he let on. Jareth actually cared about quite a lot, though he would never admit it.

How she never saw it before, was beyond her.

The way he looked at her, like his eyes alone could make love to her. The way he spoke to her, albeit frostily, was just another way of expressing his feelings for her. He was no different than the countless boys she'd beat up on the playground as a child. He picked on her, quite simply, because he liked her.

Had she just not been paying attention? How could _anyone_ miss the thousand signals he gave her each time they spoke?

The way he held her…she shivered each time she thought of it. His hands were so tender, so hesitant. She felt her cheeks heat up for the hundredth time that day. God she was slow!

The first time he kissed her, she should have been able to tell. How his whole body molded to hers. The way he hands shook as he held her, as if his emotions threatened to get the better of him. His eyes met hers with so much heat…she was surely blind!

The truth was, she'd won before he offered her this challenge. The game had never been about beating her at anything. The game was a ploy to give him time to woo her as a woman.

She discovered that and so much more in his kiss, last night.

He'd been so determined to peak her temper, so ready to get her passions up; he forgot to conceal his purpose. All it took to figure him out, was give in. Initially, she only intended to test her theory but by the time she was fully in his arms; her own emotions at the discovery got the better of her.

Perhaps the most shocking event of the past few days wasn't so much the depth of Jareth's feelings for her: but the unintentional surfacing of her own feelings for him.

Now she couldn't think of him at all without feeling his lips against hers, without seeing the look in his mismatched eyes. What was the matter with her? How had this even happened?

Whatever the interior conflict of her mind, she was winning to be sure…but what exactly would be her prize? That was the question.

Thankfully, he was avoiding her at present. She and her troupe of ever-present faeries were currently tending a newly blooming garden facing the innermost walls of the Labyrinth. Gillyflowers, roses, lilies…all manner of growing things sprang up wherever Etain's faeries happened to be. In under a week, half of Jareth's castle was obscured by gorgeous flowers and vines of every color and variety. Indeed, everywhere she walked, flowers seemed to materialize out of nowhere. The castle that once stood in a perpetual sea of barren earth and dry stones, now boasted an elegant lawn, complimented by delightful gardens and working fountains. The interior too underwent an tremendous change. Everything appeared bright and new. Floors were polished and shining, windows were sparkling and clear, tapestries and other forgotten works of art were mended and re-hanged, and perhaps most importantly; the goblins themselves seemed disinterested in causing any mischief.

In fact, the grubby, foul-mouthed little drunkards seemed _happy._

Why even this morning, she presided over several goblin marriage contracts. Of all the strange things to happen!

Goblins behaving as civilized (well, sort of) beings.

Even Snitch and Weasel were marginally changed. Weasel's armor had been polished till shining, his scruffy hair cleaned and combed back. And Snitch? The loud-mouthed braggart who was normally at the root of any gossip, was actually quiet and polite to everyone within earshot. Even herself!

She spent half the morning sitting on her chair beside Jareth's throne, with her mouth hanging wide open at the all around civility of the goblins gathered around her. If Jareth weren't off sulking about somewhere, he might have been impressed. She certainly knew she was.

It was as if everything in the Labyrinth was affected by Sarah's own uplifted mood. Ever since she heard Etain's oath of fealty, everything seemed to be falling into just the right place for her. She couldn't just be imagining it. There were too many lucky coincidences.

Not that she was complaining, mind.

She considered every day that she wasn't being set on fire or harassed within an inch of her life, a very good day indeed.

She contemplated all of this with a pleasant sigh, while she was busily gathering a bouquet of lilacs to place somewhere in Jareth's library. Thinking of the night before, once more brought a smile to her face.

Her grumpy Goblin King was off somewhere pouting, no doubt because of her faeries' near harmless attack of his person. She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing aloud.

Ever since Etain handed Sarah her queenship, the faeries were almost constantly at her side. Showering her with warmth and real affection, working tirelessly on making her environment lovely and comforting and sometimes too…being just a bit forcefully overprotective. They'd gotten a little carried away when they saw Jareth hovering over her, which in result, made him storm from the library muttering unintelligible curses under his breath.

He didn't even come to his room later on and though she was a bit slow to admit it, even to herself-she waited nearly all night. She really wanted to talk to him, after all. For whatever reason, she wanted to hear him tell her why he wanted her to stay. She needed to hear him say he loved her.

She felt a soft wing brush the right side of her face. It was of course, Etain, her new friend and lady-in-waiting. The diminutive but regal faerie sat atop her shoulder, tucking yet another flower into her hair.

At this rate, Sarah's hair would smell of flowers for the rest of her life.

"What troubles you, majesty?" The faerie asked with a sad smile. "Are the blossoms not to your liking?"

Sarah sighed. "No Etain, they're all lovely. Thank you. I was just thinking, is all."

Etain's tiny fingers stroked her cheek. "Of what, my lady? The sun shines bright, the air is sweet. There is much to smile about this day."

It was too. It was probably the prettiest day that Sarah had ever seen in the Underground. Still…

"That's not it. You know, I only have two weeks left." She said with a small frown. Two weeks to confirm Jareth's feelings for her and figure out what the hell she meant to do about it. Jareth wasn't exactly the easiest person to talk to and though she knew he loved her down to her bones, she still wasn't a hundred percent sure how it could work between them. If she decided to stay for real, she'd be giving up her life Aboveground. Her dad, Karen, Toby. Her schooling, her friends. She could lose them all.

Did these strange new emotions outweigh any of those reasons?

"La, la!" Sang Etain in her ear. "But my lady is in love!"

Sarah's eyes snapped toward her, a deep flush spreading over her face. "Why do you say that?"

Miniature shoulders shrugged. "We faeries know these things." She said with a knowing grin. "We live in beauty, seek it out, raise it wherever we go. Like our flowers. Love is the most beautiful thing of all, don't you think?"

Sarah had a moment to consider the peacefulness in the castle for the past couple of days. "So you're saying you're an expert on love?"

The faerie giggled like twin bells. "Of course we are. It's our purpose."

A single dark eyebrow rose at that. "Oh? And I thought you were all so fierce." She said, only half-teasingly. One of them bit her all those years ago, she recalled. They weren't all that lovey-dovey as far as she was concerned. Attacking their king notwithstanding.

"Well," Etain whispered. "We fight only when we are threatened, which is another form of love isn't it? We protect each other and those we care for."

Sarah absorbed this. It was a sound argument. She couldn't say she'd be any different or that Etain's answer was in any way wrong. Though, she was curious why the faerie brought it up at all.

"Why do you think I'm in love?"

"You spend the whole day a-sighing when you be a-singing at the beauty that surrounds you." Etain answered, sing-song. "You smile and sigh at the same time my lady. Your eyes are bright, your cheeks are flush and you haven't been paying attention to much beyond your own feet. That says love in my book."

Sarah's blush was neck-reddening. "I…I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do silly!" Etain laughed. "Well what have you been thinking about all this time in the garden then, hmm? Toadstools?"

"Um…"

Etain lifted into the air, flitted down to recline on Sarah's knee. "Does the rotten pig…I mean, his majesty know that you love him?"

Even the top of her head felt hot. "How do you know I was thinking about him?"

Etain jumped up, pointing an accusing finger in her direction. "Ah ha! So it is the king you love!" She doubled over into a raucous cacophony of high-pitched giggles.

"I didn't say that." Sarah muttered, uncomfortable.

The faerie wiped at the back of her eyes. "Well, who else would you be thinking of? The odious Skrunt?"

Sarah groaned. "Okay, okay. Point taken." She placed a cool hand on her over-warm cheek. "What should I do about it? I think he loves me but I'm not sure how to talk to him about it or what it could mean if I do. I mean, I didn't even know I was capable of feeling this way about him. I thought I hated him."

Etain made a face. "Well I certainly don't like him. But it matters naught what I think, does it? Besides if you stay with him, you will stay with us, won't you?" The hope in her eyes made Sarah wince.

"I, I don't know for sure."

Etain placed her tiny fingers in Sarah's hand. "Majesty, you can't leave us. We all love you too." She made a sweeping gesture. "Look at the beauty you've caused. How wonderful and peaceful it is now. You're being here has set a proper balance in the Labyrinth."

"What do you mean? I thought you faeries did all of this?"

Etain gave her a secretive smile. "You are Queen of the Faeries now, my lady. You might be surprised what you can do."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Sometime later, after hours of trying to convince Etain to share her secret to no avail; Sarah was in the bath, wondering how she was going to broach this subject with Jareth. Faeries worked around her, scenting the water, laying out appropriate fripperies to wear to bed and even making sure several polished fruits lay at a hand's reach.

Normally, she would be embarrassed to have so much attention directed toward her. But for some reason, having her faeries around only felt natural, calming. They seemed like a part of her now, though she'd only been their 'queen' for less than a week. There was no end to the surprises she experienced in the Labyrinth. When she finally dismissed them, she found somewhere deep down, that she missed them.

On bare feet, she padded into the bedroom expecting to lay down and fall immediately asleep, despite the various confusions floating around in her head. She let out a little gasp to discover Jareth, shirtless and frowning stretched out on the bed.

She blushed from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair. "What are you doing here?!"

Chilly eyes swept her form from the tips of her bare toes, to her face and back again. The progress was slow, deliberate. Sarah had to look away, resisting the urge to cover herself.

"I believe my dear, that you and I have unfinished business."

That did it. Even the tips of her hair had to turn red at that. Before she could duck back into the bathroom, Jareth was up and stalking toward her. All six and some feet of elegance and sinewy muscle, coming straight for her.

"Wait!" She shouted a bit more forcefully than she meant to. He paused, eyes darkening.

"Sarah, I'm not going to eat you."

She was nearly out of breath. She swallowed, hard. "I'm just…I dunno, a little confused. Things have been moving really fast and I, I sort of want to talk to you about it. You know?"

She sounded like an idiot or at the very least, a scared little girl. She watched him absorb her words, though his face remained devoid of expression.

" Are you insinuating that I mean to force myself on you? Because," He sniffed, crossing his arms over that fascinating chest. "That wasn't my intention at all. I assure you."

Oh no? Then why the theatrics? Well just what did he mean by 'unfinished business' while half dressed anyway? It was another ploy, she was absolutely sure.

She gave him a square look that should have pinned him to the floor. "Oh really?" Her voice was laced with crackling sarcasm. "I suppose you get half naked to converse with everyone then, huh?"

He spared a perfunctory glance for his bare, folded arms. "Perhaps I was merely preparing for bed, as you were my dear. I see no reason for such melodrama. Unless of course, you were projecting your own thoughts on the situation?"

Nail on, the bastard. She tensed, shuffled her feet. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" He said, softer this time. Somehow, he'd moved closer without her realizing it. His arm brushed her back on his way to the balcony door. She nearly jumped a mile. She cursed at his arrogant, lazy chuckle. Maybe she didn't want to talk to him after all. Jerk.

"Well what the hell do you want then Jareth? I'm very tired and not really in the mood for mind-games tonight, so…" She hinted, none too subtly.

His sigh held more amusement than she cared to hear. Head held as high as it would go, she made a mad dash for the bed, diving beneath the coverlet with lightning speed. She heard his chuckle and frowned for all she was worth.

"My, my, aren't we swift for one so fatigued?"

He was enjoying himself a little too much. She gave him her best defiant stare. He laughed, clearly unruffled by her bravado. She shouldn't have looked at him. The moonlight streaming through the curtains on his body made him practically glow. His long silver-blonde hair shone like satin against his pale skin. The shadows on his face deepened, giving his cheekbones an ethereal beauty that threatened to steal her breath.

Jesus but Etain wasn't kidding!

She must really have it bad.

"Sarah," He began, his tone light, though his voice sounded slightly strained. When he looked at her, his eyes seemed haunted. "We must talk seriously now, you and I."

She blinked, acutely nervous. "O…Okay."

His fingers toyed with the window casing. "I'm not a fool. There are some things that cannot escape my notice, no matter how you try to conceal them." A rueful grin stole over his face. "You believe you've gained an upper hand over me and perhaps you are correct but not for the reasons you may expect."

That one hit a bit close to home. Alarmed, Sarah cleared her throat. "What are you saying Jareth?"

He looked straight at her, practically through her. She swallowed a sigh, the sight was so magnificent. "As much as I adore playing at chess with you, I fear this game has gotten a bit out of hand. The faeries for instance…"

"You gave them to me remember? And besides…" She interrupted, making a harsh stab at defense.

"Please, let me finish. I'm not angry with you over those cursed, meddlesome faeries. No matter how infuriating they might be."

Could he ever simply say anything?

"You're really not mad? Not even about the flowers? Because I was sure you'd be pretty pissed."

He ran a hand through his hair. "No Sarah. If you enjoy them, I cannot possibly be upset about them. No. It's not their presence that worries me my dear. It's your reaction to them."

Her eyebrows crinkled up. "How so?" They weren't doing anything that didn't need to be done, as far as she was concerned. And now that she kept them occupied, they weren't busy harassing the rest of the Labyrinth's citizens. Everyone was happier this way. Everyone except Jareth, apparently.

"They made you their queen Sarah, in your own right. Do you know what that means?"

"No." Of course she had no idea. Why did he always have to mince words with her?

He sighed. "Come, come Sarah, do you honestly mean to tell me that you haven't felt any different these past days?"

She flushed crimson. "Well, I've been in a better mood, if that's what you mean?"

"Allow me to list the differences, shall I? Not only have you been in a more congenial humor but so has the rest of my household, certain of the villagers who work in the palace and some of the creatures outside in the Labyrinth. Strike any bells now?"

She sat up, chewed at her lip. Yep, she'd noticed all right. She knew there had to be something sinister about goblins wanting to get married and just getting along in general.

"Is that bad?" She asked, hoping against hope that maybe her hunch was groundless.

Jareth sat on the far side of the bed, reclining against the carved bedpost. "It isn't a part of their nature. Goblins are meant to be rowdy and cantankerous. They're bloody Goblins!"

"So what are you saying? That somehow my faeries are making them all act weird? Like they put some kind of 'happy' curse on them or something?"

"Not just on the Goblins Sarah and furthermore, I don't blame the faeries. They may only act according to the whims of their ruler." His stare could be dubbed 'pointed'.

It took a minute but her mind finally grasped what he was vaguely trying to tell her. When it hit, her eyes flew wide. She started upright.

"_Me_? It's _my_ fault everyone's been so chipper? How the hell is that possible?"

That was preposterous!

Wasn't it?

"You are the Faerie Queen my lovely, hard-headed lass. When you accepted Etain's fealty, you took over her duties. As well as her power."

She laughed. "You're kidding right? That's so…so, incredibly ridiculous. I'm human for Christ's sake! How can I steal a faerie's power?"

"You didn't steal it. It was given to you. Not only have things changed here in my Labyrinth due to that exchange but you, yourself have and will continue to change because of it. Something you may not have realized, Etain was never really a queen anyway. The last queen died many, many centuries ago, leaving Etain in stewardship of her powers until the right candidate arrived. Etain chose you."

"At first," He continued. "I believed she did so merely to aggravate me, to undermine my authority. But when I observed her interaction with you, how seamlessly the faerie host melded themselves to your every whim; I knew it was, as you say in slang, 'a done deal'. When the goblins began acting queerly, I knew it meant trouble. You see Sarah, you've managed to bond yourself to these creatures so easily, you will never escape it. It's your responsibility now. One you will never shirk. If you leave the Labyrinth for any extended period of time, your subjects will wither and die. They need you, your life-spark if you will, to stay alive."

She took a deep breath, her face as white as the sheets she lay on. "So wait a second. You're saying that being a their queen is not just an election process or something. I can't just pass it on, like Etain did?"

He shook his head. "You don't understand my dear. Even as you sit here, you're body is changing. I can scarce look at you without feeling blinded by your beauty. Your human flaws, the few and far there were to begin with, are being polished over. Your mood will affect the very fabric of their lives. Flowers bloom in your wake or die with your temper. The same is true of your faerie host. I'm terribly sorry to deliver these tidings to you in such a way but you must understand; you have a duty now that has nothing to do with our personal differences. You must stay or you will kill every bright part of the Labyrinth as well as yourself."

Sarah's hands shook. Her mind raced.

She was really, truly, not screwing around…a _Faerie Queen?!_

If she went home, every one of them would die?

God she was stupid! She shouldn't have accepted Etain's oath dammit!

No damned wonder everything was strange around here lately.

In her heart though, buried in its depths; she wasn't truly surprised.

In the night air outside, she could feel them all happy, contented little things playing on the breeze. They were rejoicing. Creating beauty with their own, special magic wherever they went from sheer joy.

"Oh my God." She muttered to no one in general. "It's true isn't it?"

"Yes." Jareth's voice was solemn.

"Is that why I sort of miss them whenever I send them away?"

His scowl was a confirmation in itself. "Unfortunately so, yes."

An eternity passed while she thought through everything he'd just told her. She couldn't leave? Couldn't go home to her own world?

Never see Toby or the rest of her family again?

Jareth, sensing her internal conflict, pulled her into his arms. For once, she didn't struggle. She let herself be embraced, fully, comfortingly.

"Forgive me love. I didn't realize it would come to such a turn as this."

"So I can never go home again?" She half-sobbed into his chest. So overwhelmed, she forgot to pay attention to his state of dress. Forgot everything else. She HAD to go home. Toby needed her! She needed him.

How could she live without her family?

They would go mad with grief!

His fingers made slow, soothing circles over her back. "Hush now. All is not hopeless. We will find a way to make it work, I promise you."

Tears were spilling out of her eyes before she knew it. Jareth crushed her against him, cradling her head in his hands.

"Sarah, my sweet, foolish girl. I will never abandon you. I will do whatever is necessary to make you at peace with this. I know I meant to keep you here, selfish creature that I am. I meant to win. To bind you to me forever because I cannot live without you. You are my whole world!"

She lifted her head, eyes blurred by water. He stroked her cheek, his expression mimicking the intensity of his words.

"I realize that this will never assuage the loss of your home nor do I mean to keep you from it. I will either find or make you a way to go home from time-to-time, I swear it on my crown."

Summoning every ounce of courage she had left, she looked him straight in the eye. "Jareth, I want to believe you. I do. It's just, well, I need to know why you would be willing to do this for me when all I've ever known you to do is manipulate me to your liking. Why is it so important for you, when it isn't like you at all?"

His eyes were starkly serious. He lay his forehead against hers, exhaled. "I have only ever done what you needed or wanted from me Sarah, to one degree or another. If I am selfish where you are concerned, it's because I fear I need you so much more than you need me. I…I want to be what you need. I _need_ to be what you want! Don't you see?"

As if it had a mind of its own, Sarah's hand cupped his cheek, pulling his eyes to hers.

"Do you really love me Jareth or am I just another challenge for you?"

"Sarah Williams," He replied, with such a look in his eyes, she would never forget, as long as she lived. "I have never loved anything as greatly, or as deeply as I love you."

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Bwhahahahaha!! Evil! I'm evil, evil, evil;)


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Owned by others, not by moi.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews guys!

Chapter 15:

The game was officially over. At least as far as Jareth was concerned. What a foolish, selfish creature he was to imagine he needed subterfuge to win the heart of his lady. Old age, mistrust and avarice…dangerous bedfellows to be sure. Especially in Sarah's case.

He'd spent so much time overanalyzing her, he almost missed the opportunity to win her. He thought he needed to charm her, spook her, corner her into respecting and then admiring him. Once he had control of her attention, he would steal her heart.

It sounded like a good plan at the time.

He just forgot one, tiny, simple thing.

Sarah wasn't a teenager anymore.

The same rules did not in fact apply.

She'd seen him as a man, albeit a strange one, for some time now.

Who would've believed him to be such a blind, capricious fool?

All he'd needed to capture Sarah's heart, was offer his own. This time honestly, without self-interest or desperation.

All she really needed to hear, was that he'd truly loved her all along. To know that he was not only capable of the emotion but desirous of truly sharing it with her.

"Such a pity." He murmured into her hair. His arm cradled her gloriously nude length against his. One slim arm draped across his bare chest, a long, smooth leg tucked over his knees. How long would he have missed this? How many more insipid games and ignorant posturing would have kept this moment from him?

Having her there, willingly, happily; was the single most fulfilling moment of his long, long life.

A replay of the night's events, tumbled through his mind for nearly the thousandth time that hour. Her tears. His embrace. Her question, the one question he thought would ruin all of his carefully constructed plans.

_Jareth, do you really love me?_

Then, his confession. Telling her all, watching her face for his very own doom. Knowing that at any second, he would lose her forever.

But, to his intense surprise; words he never hoped to hear tumbled from her lips, one after the other.

Her eyes damp, her chin quavering; she told him she needed him. Wanted him to say these things to her _because_ she needed to hear them from him. Needed to know he was real, that he was possible. That his love was possible.

Hands shaking, Jareth simply stared at this impossible turn of events with an ounce of dread fear for every word. Was he imagining this? Did she jest with him? Surely at any second, she would turn on him, speak the words that would seal his fate with iron finality.

_You have no power over me. _

But, he was wrong.

Instead, she lifted her glorious eyes to his and spoke the most beautiful phrase he never thought he would hear, even in his wildest most fanciful dreams.

_Jareth, I think I love you. I think I've always, always loved you. _

His heart wrenched sideways. His stomach collapsed in his feet. The shock turned his flesh to stone, his eyes to glass, his blood to ice-water. It couldn't be true…yet, it was. It seemed once his Sarah got started, she couldn't stop.

She looked down shyly, aware of his stricken posture. Her hands fidgeting with each other in her lap. Jareth thought she'd never seen a more captivating sight.

_You know, for the longest time, I thought _I_ created _you_. You were everything I could have dreamed of as a girl. Beautiful, powerful, mysterious. After the Labyrinth, I had to treat my whole experience here as one long fantasy that I needed to forget. You couldn't actually exist. You were too perfect, untouchable. Larger than life._

Before he knew what he was about, she was in his arms again. His eyes bored into hers. She didn't struggle. Not this time. His skin nearly melted from his bones at the hesitant caress of her fingertips over his mouth.

_Say it again._ He pleaded on a breath, resisting the overwhelming urge to throw her against the pillows behind her. His nerves were alive with unnatural electric currents. He felt his body might ignite from that bottled and highly kinetic energy. He felt another hand slide up the length of his breastbone and into his hair. His sigh of pleasure was nearly violent in response.

Minx that she was, she merely grinned at him with misty green eyes. Her lips were on his cheek, his chin; moving steadily closer to his own. Control of his body was swiftly passing from his brain. Soon, he would give in to that abandon, ne'er to return.

Her lips brushed his ear, giving him a jolt that ground his teeth together.

_I love you Jareth._

A helpless but brutal sound issued from somewhere deep inside his chest. He was done.

All control fled his body, his mind and any other part of him that might have kept him from her. He fell on her as a starving man on a banquet. Ravenous, urgent, gluttonous.

Sarah met him with halfway with enthusiasm and shy daring. Where his hands and mouth devoured her skin, she fought to apply the same attentions to him. Harsh, rough sounds escaped his throat in tune with the soft, alluring moans from hers.

They melded together. Their bodies at once exploring, singing each other's praises. Skin against skin. Heartbeat to heartbeat. Jareth worshipped her body as devoutly as he did the heart she opened for him. Each sigh, each caress, the warmth of her breath against his mouth; was like the sun on his once frozen soul. He came alive in her arms. She clung to him and in that embrace, he was reborn.

Now, some time after she'd drifted to sleep against him; Jareth couldn't believe the near stupidity that had kept them apart for so long.

She was his.

No longer did he need to dream of her like this, for here she was. Safe, loved and loving, in his arms. He would never be used to this, he was quite sure…but neither would he ever let it go.

In her sleep, Sarah smiled. She mumbled something incoherent and snuggled further into him. Chuckling, he kissed her forehead and pulled her closer.

If she left him now, her faerie subjects wouldn't be the only creatures to suffer mortally. He would surely die himself.

Plans and plans and plans.

All meant nothing in the long run. He saw more clearly than ever he had.

His love for her had brought them to this pass, of a certainty. But it was her love for him that ended all of his clever machinations.

She belonged here with him.

The Labyrinth itself had plotted her future.

The faeries were merely its instrument.

What need did the ancient and all-knowing sentience that was the Labyrinth, have for Jareth's misguided, lovesick meddling? Fate placed her here and by God, it is where Jareth would keep her.

He lowered his lips to hers, tasting their swollen softness in her sleep-drugged state. She sighed, still entrenched in dreams that he desperately wanted to be a part of. Perhaps greedily, he sought to wake her once more. He could not help the desire coursing through his too satisfied body. Making love to her was just, if not doubly as addictive as her presence itself.

A horrible, raucous banging at his chamber door, interrupted the sentiment. Jareth's frown was lethal. Who the bloody hell would be so abominably stupid at this hour? Beside him, Sarah stirred. Her face screwed up into the most adorable frown he'd ever seen.

"The Labyrinth had better be on fire, or whoever you are will surely taste my wrath!" Jareth bellowed at the intruder beyond the door.

"Your majesty!" Cried Skrunt from the hall. Jareth's frown deepened to a full scowl. "You told Skrunt to warn if there was any of them black birds in the Labyrinth!"

Black birds? Sarah chose that moment to draw her leg up and over his waist. Jareth's breath came out in a rush. "Leave it till morning, you addled brained idiot! I also told you not to disturb me whilst in my chamber."

"Jareth, what is it?" Sarah yawned against his throat.

"But your majesty! These are them really BIG black birds that you said should never be there! I'm followin' orders."

Instantly, Jareth's' spine stiffened. He sat up, dislodging Sarah's endearing death-grip on his neck. "Big you say? Curse it." He spat, flinging himself from the most comfortable position he'd ever been in. Sarah groaned, reaching for him as he tugged on his discarded trousers.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Jareth leaned over her, feeling as if he were leaving his heart behind. "Nothing my love. Go back to sleep. I'll return in a moment."

When he opened the door, his eyes were serious. "_Where_ did you spy these ravens?"

Skrunt's impossibly hideous face seemed even uglier, his eyes bulged from their sockets. The goblin wrung his hands together aimlessly. "Majesty, them birds were seen in her majesty's new garden on the south-side of the castle! Had to pry scared faeries from me own beard, I did!"

Jareth felt the beginnings of a terribly trying headache.

"Where are the faeries now?"

"In her majesty's li…I mean YOUR majesty's library."

Jareth's eyes narrowed, though it was more for the goblin's benefit than from any actual concern. As far as he was concerned, anything she wanted he would give her. Including his much neglected library.

Though, ravens in the Labyrinth? He most certainly did not like the sound of that.

"I will be down in a moment. Assemble your goblins in the hall. I want a regular patrol in the Labyrinth until I determine what to make of this."

He shut the door on Skrunt's attempt at a formal bow. When he turned, the most beautiful, beguiling sight arrested his attention from the open curtains. Sarah stood, flooded with pure, silver moonlight. The curves of her body glittering seductively in that light. Her hair, loose and lustrous, spilled over that lovely, shining skin. Jareth had to remember to breathe.

She pulled her dressing gown over that magnificent vision. She turned a quick glance over her shoulder. His heart stopped.

She was so beautiful, his throat would surely close over his windpipe.

"What's wrong? What did Skrunt want at this time of night?" He noticed a shy flush curve over her cheek. He stared like an idiot, practically incapable of speech. After several seconds of coaxing the blood back into his brain, he cleared his throat.

"There are ravens in the Labyrinth. I abhor the beasts. Nothing to worry over, I'm sure."

Her green eyes narrowed. "Then why are you zipping out the door at the mere mention of them?"

So entrenched in her physical beauty, he was brought up short by her swift appraisal of the situation. He must never forget that she was sharp too.

He sighed. His hopes for an evening abed with his lady were summarily out the window.

"If these are the ravens I think they are, then you and I must have a very long discussion my dear." Though to tell her, might ruin their mutual happiness with each other. She would most definitely not be pleased by news of this sort.

Jareth strode over to the sideboard, poured himself a very tall glass of wine. The look in her eyes assured him that he wasn't going to get out of this room without this conversation taking place. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Why did this have to happen tonight? Damn those bloody birds to whichever hell awaited them.

"Sarah, what have you heard about the Raven King?"


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I still don't own it.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews guys! I'm trying not to let ya'll down with each chapter. Lemme know how I'm doing

Chapter 16:

"Where are you Jareth?" Sarah wondered aloud. Her faeries were becoming practiced at ignoring her peculiar habit of talking to herself. Today's chore was the mending of palace uniforms. The lovely, glittering host took their jobs very seriously, if not a bit too enthusiastically. Sarah had already given up trying to stop them sewing gillyflowers into every goblin's court dress. Skrunt was bound to look fully ridiculous with a dozen purple flowers sewn into his collar.

There was bound to be a riot at this rate.

Well, there would be if her mood wasn't causing each and every one of them to behave far more congenially than their natures allowed. She was still waiting for Jareth to get on her case about that. After all, they _were_ goblins.

Foul humors and ill-tempers kind of were part of the general package.

Still, she wasn't sorry about it. She couldn't help being in this particular mood. Happiness was a normal by-product of being in love, wasn't it?

Her cheeks heated at the thought, as it had all morning long. Couldn't be helped.

Jareth loved her.

She most certainly loved him back.

Her flush deepened to outright crimson.

What a night!

It was no wonder everyone was in a particularly friendly mood today!

Jareth and Sarah's relationship had taken a relatively significant turn last night. She thought, noting the outstanding euphemism with a brazen grin.

Sarah wasn't all that innocent, though she had been a virgin until last night. She'd kissed a few boys here and there in high-school and almost got physical with a guy she met last year. Though when it came to the crucial moment, she always backed off. She used to think that she was just uncommonly shy or amazingly old-fashioned. But after last night, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that was not true.

None of those boys had been Jareth.

The truth was, that she'd been unconsciously comparing every male she'd ever met with her haughty, untouchable Goblin King. She'd loved Jareth unequivocally since the first moment she set eyes on him. No one else could ever hope to match him in her heart. That was the truth, whole and final.

When he told her he loved her, her heart went up in flames.

She couldn't contain her response.

How could she?

Jareth was the most beautiful, complex, intoxicating person she'd ever met in her entire life. Who could ever hope to compare to that?

Over and over, despite her present environment; the events of the evening played in her mind.

Jareth's mouth on her skin, his hands roaming all over her body…it was enough to make her crazy! Her body ached all over from wanting to see him, to perhaps confirm her good luck in the light of day. Had they really made love last night? She could barely believe it. She got chills just thinking of it.

It would have been a perfect finale to their ridiculous courtship too, if Skrunt hadn't showed up and spoiled it with cryptic warnings about some damned black birds.

Jareth left nearly on the goblin's heels and she hadn't seen him since. Damned goblin nonsense. Her sudden frown, dislodged some of the flowers strategically placed at her temples. Immediately, a trio of faeries were there to replace them.

_What have you heard of the Raven King?_ He asked, though she could only blink at him stupidly. Of course she had no idea what he was talking about! Why worry about it at that moment? Wasn't it something that could have waited till tomorrow?

But he hadn't waited. He was gone before she had a proper second to ask him what he meant. She spent the rest of the night curled up in his bed, waiting for him.

Figured.

Naturally the first time they made love, he would have to dash off somewhere and not tell her about it.

She sighed, long and heavy.

Still, she would not allow herself to get upset over it. The night hadn't been a total loss after all. She now had the answer to the questions she'd been asking herself for the past five years and if she didn't say so herself; they were mighty satisfying answers too.

Sarah shook herself. She had to stop thinking about it. She couldn't very well walk around the castle grinning like an idiot all day, could she?

Etain, clever sprite that she was, was purposefully avoiding her at the moment. Due no doubt to the obviousness of Sarah's nocturnal activities.

Her usually stalwart fairy companion was busy supervising her underlings' efforts in the library. Already she'd butted heads with Ria, the lead pain in Sarah's neck, over which materials were to be used for the uniforms and which were 'hog's spittle'.

A fast friendship between those two fiery female personalities, was most likely not on Sarah's horizon.

Etain was stubborn, rash and bossy and Ria, she wasn't much different. There was bound to be some friction there, for quite some time.

Sarah stood up, stretching out the past two hours of continuous sitting. She needed a walk. All this sewing and daydreaming was bound to make her fall out of her chair. Besides, she might just bump into Jareth on her way into the garden.

She'd have the chance to find out what the hell had made him leave her in bed all alone last night.

Smiling with renewed vigor, she made her way out of the library.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

With nearly twenty faeries for escort, Sarah swept into her brand-new garden. The flowers that they had planted for her were now blooming so magnificently, the sight was like to steal her breath. Newly working fountains bubbled charmingly in their corners, sprinkling fresh, sparkling water above a lush green lawn. Every flower Sarah had ever dreamed of could be found growing happily in her lovely little garden, tended by a multitude of grinning, joyous little faeries.

Today, though the sky was a brilliant, clear blue; there weren't any faeries tending their hard-earned blossoms. In fact, the only faeries to be seen were Sarah's own, silent escort. She found that strange, though the only faerie that generally spoke to her was Etain.

Feeling as if there were a cloud hanging over each of their heads, she drew them closer to her, hoping to cheer them out of their present funk. Even Etain herself seemed in a dark mood, though Sarah, along with the rest of the castle's residents were in a wonderful disposition.

Though they brightened somewhat for her attention, affecting small smiles for her benefit; those tiny faerie faces still appeared downcast.

Well, whatever could be the matter with them?

Normally, they'd be smiling and flitting to and fro with so much energy, she could barely keep up. Now however, they stuck close to her side as if afraid to be outside.

Sarah frowned. Well this wouldn't do! She didn't want her faeries upset over nothing.

"What's the matter little ones?" She asked them, gesturing to the garden around them. "See? It's such a pretty day! Shouldn't you be smiling?"

One of them, a frail little creature with gossamer blue wings and nearly white hair, landed on her outstretched palm with a worried expression.

Sarah smiled at her. "Well what is it sweetheart? There's nothing to be worried about. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you." She said, wondering what on earth could be making them so nervous. She had to pry Etain away from her self-appointed task of avoiding her, so she could properly ask. Come to think of it, hadn't Etain seemed a little stranger than usual today as well?

What was going on here?

Didn't Jareth say that the faeries would usually reflect her own mood? Well, if she was so happy, why were her faeries so upset?

Determined to get to the bottom of it, Sarah marched back toward the garden door. A sudden flurry of wings around her face made her step back. Her retinue was in a frenzy. A dozen of them were attempting to shield her face, while several more were doing their best to tug her backwards.

Surprised, Sarah nearly landed rump-first in the grass behind her.

"What's gotten into you? Good lord!" Her protest only seemed to aggravate them further. The tugging intensified, little gasps and eerie wails came from their usually silent mouths.

An unfamiliar masculine chuckle brought her up short. At the sound, her faeries fled behind her, putting all of their joint effort into dragging her away from the sound. It was enough to guarantee Sarah's backside met with damp grass, assuredly ruining her gown. The frenzy didn't stop until Sarah, incensed, waived them away. Still the attempts to pull her away didn't cease.

"Stop!" Sarah shouted, causing a real ripple of mutual fear to pass through the throng. Their attacks halted, though they stared down at her with worried, terrified eyes.

Another laugh. "Forgive me. I fear I've alarmed your bodyguards lady."

Sarah's furious eyes clapped on a hooded figure, seated above her garden door. She had to repress a gasp. The tugging started again, though this time she had half a mind to get up and run where they were pulling her.

The figure was abnormally tall, heavily hooded and clothed entirely in obsidian black. His face utterly obscured by an enormous, dark hood; Sarah swallowed down a scream. Imposing was a gentle word for such a frightening sight.

"Who…who are you?" She stammered, struggling to her feet and backing slightly away. Her faceless visitor didn't move an inch.

"I've merely come to see the new Queen, lady. Could it be that I've found her?" The voice was smooth, elegant. Almost as elegant as Jareth's, though she was definitely partial.

Where was he anyway? Did he know who this person was?

A crow sounded off from her left. Sarah jumped, her faeries trying to hide themselves in her clothes. The overlarge black bird swept into her garden, landing on the figure's cloaked shoulder. God but that had to be the biggest crow she'd ever seen! As if noticing her attention, the raven ruffled it's considerable feathers.

Sarah felt her heel back into a stone bench.

She had a pretty good idea who her visitor was and didn't like it one bit.

_What have you heard about the Raven King?_

"What do you want?" She did her best to keep her rising alarm from her voice. She wondered if she would have a chance at getting over the wall and into the Labyrinth if he meant to hurt her.

Slowly, like ink pouring over the wall; the Raven King slid onto the lawn. "You're the Lady Sarah, aren't you? Jareth's very own obsession, defeater of the Labyrinth."

He seemed to drift over the lawn toward her. Sarah backed up as far as she could, feeling the faeries dig into her hair to hide themselves. No wonder why they'd been acting strangely. They probably sensed that this was going to happen.

Genuinely afraid for the first time since she'd been in Jareth's castle; her heart hammered at her ribcage. The wraith came ever closer.

"How lovely you are, lady. I hadn't realized you would become such a beautiful woman. No wonder Jareth is so reluctant to let you go."

He paused. Sarah was very nearly pressed into the wall behind her. Where could she go?!

A gaping black hole rose before her, as he reached out. She couldn't even see a hint of his face beneath that hood. "A pity for Jareth that he can't keep you."

That got Sarah's attention. Her eyes snapped up. "What are you talking about? Jareth is king here last I checked. He can keep whatever he wants."

The reaching stopped. For several moments, the figure stared at her from somewhere deep inside that darkness. Another chuckle, deep and sensuous. Sarah couldn't help but flinch.

"You are spirited, aren't you? How…delightful. I must admit, you are much different than I expected. So unlike her."

"Unlike who?" Sarah interjected, wishing she could squeeze herself through the cracks in the wall. Next to her skin, she felt the faeries tremble.

"The last Queen. Of course. It would be like comparing night and day, I think." He said cryptically. Sarah had no idea what he was talking about.

There'd been another queen before Sarah? That's right. Jareth said that, somewhere hadn't he?

"I suppose I expected you to be just like her, knowing Jareth."

That certainly wasn't something Sarah expected to hear. She blinked, feeling her temper rise over her fear. "_Pardon_ _me?_"

This time, his laugh sounded more cruel than teasing. Sarah's blood felt like it would boil over. Just what exactly did the old Faerie Queen have to do with Jareth, damnit? And why should Sarah be anything like her?

"I must ask your forgiveness again, lady. I do lack practice in polite conversation. So it's true then, the rumors that he's made a conquest of you? I'm quite disappointed, I must say."

If it was possible for an empty black hole to glare at someone, she'd swear that was exactly what was happening. How dare this arrogant, ugly bastard insult her like this?

"I don't recall anyone asking you for permission, Mr…I'm sorry, who the hell do you think you are?" She spat, her shoulders gone rigid.

"Who am I, you ask?" He said, seemingly quite irritable. "I'm someone who ought not to be trifled with, lady. Someone your Jareth has clearly neglected to inform you about."

Before she could draw breath to retort, she heard a relieving sigh from behind her rude visitor.

"A situation that was to be summarily rectified, I assure you." Said Jareth in a chilly voice. Sarah's heart nearly leapt into her throat. She couldn't have been happier to see someone in her whole life. Though she tried to catch his eye, his distasteful expression was all for the Raven King.

"I would bid you welcome as an old friend Gareth, but that would be dishonest of me wouldn't it?" He snapped, eyes flashing. Sarah had to hold her breath at the sight of him. Even now, he was almost too beautiful.

His long silver blonde hair blowing wildly around his pale, un-amused face. He wore gray today, giving his mismatched eyes an inhuman glow that was imposing enough, even to her.

The Raven King turned away from Sarah, giving Jareth what she assumed was a cursory glance.

"Grievously so, brother. An overstatement of an insulting nature, wouldn't you agree?"

Brother?

"May I ask what you're doing in my Labyrinth?"

Her rude guest's cloaked arms spread wide. The raven on his shoulder squalled at Jareth, spreading its wings wide. "Tell me, brother? Did you think you could keep her from me?"

Her? What was he going on about now?

Jareth's stare was lethal. "Do not confuse _my_ queen with Fiona, Gareth!" He hissed, though his face remained cool. Only his eyes showed his true emotions. "Sarah has nothing to do with that past."

The hood turned once more in her direction. It's cavernous darkness made her shift where she stood. Who the hell was this guy? Why did Jareth keep calling him brother?

More importantly, why was he staring at her?

"Oh I don't know, brother. I'd say she has everything to do with the matter at hand, wouldn't you? She is Fiona's replacement after all, isn't she?"

Jareth's face reddened. His eyebrows drew together over the fiercest expression she'd ever seen him make. "I'll kill you this time Gareth, I swear it! You will vacate my Labyrinth immediately or I will tear you to pieces with my bare hands!"

Gareth's (she assumed) laughter was cold. "I will leave Goblin King, you have my word. Though, The Faerie Queen will come with me when I do. She is mine by right, or have you forgotten?"

Sarah felt a very real shiver move up her spine. "Wait a minute! Who the hell do you think you are? I don't care what happened in the past. I go where I want to and I WILL be staying with Jareth!" She shouted into that vacant emptiness for all she was worth. How dare this sonfabitch assume that she could be passed around like some kind of collection plate?! Furious, she tried to storm around him to Jareth's side.

A quick, very cold hand caught her arm as she passed. She squealed, her faeries cried out, trying to pull her arm back. Gareth's raven struck out at them, making Sarah scream the louder.

"Let me go!"

"Nicodemus, behave yourself." He whispered to the overlarge bird, who calmed instantly. Jareth was suddenly behind Sarah. She clutched at him with her free hand.

"Release her, Gareth. Now." He warned dangerously. She could feel the energy rolling off of him in waves. It wasn't good to get him worked up like this, she knew.

Gareth's hood slipped away. Sarah gasped. She expected to see some kind of death mask or skeleton's leer in its place. Instead, she was nearly floored by the sheer, inescapable beauty that lie beneath. A smooth, unlined face, with skin the color of cream. Large, amethyst colored eyes stared at her with intense interest: fringed by impossibly long black lashes that would make any woman weep for jealousy. His hair, longer than Jareth's and perhaps even longer than hers, was such a silky blue-black, it would seem unnatural on any other person. A full, sensual mouth rested under a straight, perfectly shaped nose. He smiled at her, showing very white, very even teeth.

The Raven King was nigh angelic, he was so unbelievably lovely.

Sarah felt a bit faint just looking at him.

"The Faerie Queen belongs to me, Jareth. It has always been that way and will always be. That agreement was meted out long before the Labyrinth was born and will exist long after it has crumbled to ashes in your mouth."

Jareth practically tore her arm out of Gareth's grip. He wasted no time shoving her bodily behind him. She heard her faeries sigh with relief, from behind the curtain of her hair. She too, sighed into Jareth's rigid back.

"Not so, Gareth. That contract expired with your last wife, I'm afraid. Sarah is queen here, in her own right. She rules beside me on equal footing. Do you mean to offend both the Faerie Queen and the Queen of the Labyrinth? Because I assure you, they are one in the same."

Gareth's smile didn't reach his eyes, which were locked on Sarah's own. "Have you married him then, lady? It would be a scandal in our respective circles for a woman to bear two husbands, especially given that both grooms are brothers." Butter wouldn't have melted in his handsome mouth.

Sarah's brilliant red face must have testified to her conflicted emotions.

Two husbands?

Brothers?

Contracts?

Had everyone lost their damned mind?

She wasn't married to anyone, damnit it hell!

"Jareth? What the hell is he talking about?"

Jareth, for once (of course, when she needed to hear him talk) was surpassingly silent. Gareth stroked Nicodemus's head almost lovingly.

"When you inherited Fiona's powers, lady, you also inherited her responsibilities. Namely, me. These faeries you have bonded with so beautifully, were bought by the former queen, from me. And do you know how she did it?" His smiling face taunted her from above Jareth's tensing shoulder. "She married me, in exchange for their freedom. A wonderful arrangement. One which gave one of my failed creations a purpose, here in the Underground. I despise these insipid little creatures, to be sure; thus I naturally set them to demeaning tasks. Fiona, one of our own kind, felt so sorry for them, that she willingly gave herself to me in order to free them. Selfless of her wouldn't you say?"

"I'm warning you Gareth…" Jareth whispered, his body rumbling with power. The sky overhead darkened. The earth beneath her feet rumbled.

"You see, sweet Sarah…once Etain acknowledged you as queen, you became mine by right. You are _my_ queen! Etain's oath of fealty were your marriage vows, lady."

Sarah gripped Jareth's arm so hard, she felt she might crush his bones. The last thing she needed right now was for him to go apeshit. She could pretty much guess that was what Gareth was really looking for.

"That's nonsense. You won't bully me into anything and if you try to attack any of my faeries, I'll make you regret you ever saw my face."

His smirk made her want to punch him. "Oh I doubt that, lady. You are nearly thrice as lovely as I expected you'd be."

She snorted. "So what? You came all the way here to pick a fight with Jareth? I won't let you use me as an excuse! I'm not afraid of you. I know better than most that things aren't always what they seem, or claim to be, in this place. So take your scare tactics somewhere else. We're not interested."

"No," Jareth said, after a long silence. "He's not here to pick a fight with me Sarah. He's here to steal you from me. Foolish a plan, though it is."

Sarah was perplexed. "Why would he do that? It's just stupid." She met Gareth's purple eyes with a frown. "Look here. I'm not going anywhere with you. Who inherits husbands after all? It's ridiculous. Just because you could manipulate the last queen, doesn't mean I'm that easy. If you came here to be a bully than I suggest you take a hike."

"Sarah, beware…" Jareth warned, pulling her into his side. Her faeries whined in her ears. Jareth's hand smoother over the curve of her cheek, his eyes serious. "I'm not the only member of my family who would use your own words against you."

Her eyebrows drew together. "I'm not afraid of him, Jareth."

"Wonderful news, lady. I'm delighted to hear that you accept my challenge. Of course, if you lose…and you surely will, all your powers as well as your person, will belong expressly to me without complaint."

Jareth's gloved hand covered his face. "Gareth, I'm going to make good on my promise."

"Ah, ah brother." Said Gareth waving a finger to and fro. "The lady accepted my wager with her own breath. There's nothing you can do to stop me now."

"Except kill you, of course." Jareth offered, his eyes gleaming.

Alarmed, Sarah gripped Jareth's arm. "What wager? Who said anything about a bet?"

Gareth was suddenly beside her, his face looming in her vision. She had to suppress a recoil. "Not afraid of me are you? Well, we'll just see about that won't we?"

Next thing she knew, Sarah was alone in the dark hearing the distant echo of Jareth's voice, screaming her name.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Mwahahahahaha…oh, I'm just kidding. I thought this chapter up months ago but it was a lot harder to write than I thought it would be. Hope it didn't disappoint. Till next time folks!


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Labyrinth, I own thee not.

Author's Note: Wow. What a mixed collection of thoughts on the last chapter. Thank you all very much for reviewing! I understand that 16 was a bit under-edited. I was sickly and writing late at night again…which isn't always a good idea. Sorry bout that. I edit as I go along, thus, haphazardly. I've been meaning to go back through my chapters and re-edit them all one by one, a sort of redux version. If anyone can tell me how to do it, I promise to get it done in record time;) Enjoy!

P.s. There will be some profanity in this chapter…beware.

Chapter 17:

"Fight me." Came Gareth's low, velvety voice from behind her. "It's so much more pleasing when you defy me." She felt his over-smooth hands slide over her bare shoulders.

In pitch black, tripping over the hem of her gown; Sarah turned to give him precisely what he was begging for. Intent to claw out his eyes, she thrust her nails in the direction of his voice. It was too dark and her tormentor was stealth incarnate. Her nails came away unblooded.

Finally comprehending what it must feel like to be totally blind in a treacherous environment; she clung to the dangling fabric of her torn bodice and waited. Terrified that at any second, he would redouble his efforts against her.

"Why are you doing this?" She demanded of the cold, empty darkness around her. From seemingly all directions, she heard his self-satisfied laughter.

"Whyever _wouldn't_ I do this, my lady?"

Sarah spat toward the sound. "I. Will. Not. Play. Your. Games." She seethed, brushing a hand against her exposed throat. "I _demand_ that you release me!"

In the dark, an eerie wind rustled bits of her hair loose from its once impressive chignon. Her eyes though sightless, searched frantically for the source of her bedevilment. For God only knew how long, she'd been in this oubliette with Jareth's ill-named brother and praying for a chance to smash his face in with her bare hands.

He was playing with her.

Reveling in his newfound power over her, the Raven King circled her in the darkness like a profoundly lethal shark.

Just what she'd said to put herself in this position, was anyone's guess. Mores the pity.

She heard him tsk. "Not so sweet one. You made a bold claim. So you're not afraid of me are you? Well we will just see about that. Won't we, lady?"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jareth was morbidly, irrefutably, _furious_.

Nay, downright, _murderous_.

Walls in the Labyrinth shook, quaking with the force of his temper. An iron-clad sky, tumultuous and foreboding; ravished the Underground like the raging outer rings of some cataclysmic hurricane. All of Sarah's lovely blossoms withered and died beneath his stare. The tranquility of each of her fountains perished: water froze mid-stream over a dying lawn. Harsh winds churned and swirled around him with catastrophic force, flaying all non-sedimentary objects to and fro with violence.

Sarah's faeries were left behind when the Raven King took her. Now, they were merely victims of the riotous elements caused by Jareth's own ferocity.

Stony-eyed, he stared into the spot from which she vanished.

Gone.

That miserable, covetous _bastard_; dared to steal the crown jewel of Jareth's soul. Stole her, took her…_robbed_ her right from beneath his very nose!

A raucous cracking sound, denoted the crumbling of the garden's outer wall. Soon, there would be nothing at all left of her garden.

Faeries flitted by in vicious wind-gusts, being torn away from their only comfort and protection. He didn't care.

The earth cracked open below his feet. Stone benches and pottery were sucked inside the rift, along with the remnants of his sanity.

Nothing mattered.

He would find his brother.

That insolent, greedy, _whoreson_…he would tear him to pieces with a glee bordering on religious fervor.

Eyes shadowed by intense loathing, Jareth took a purposeful step forward into the maelstrom.

_It begins_. He thought, feeling every inch of his unlimited power coarse through his body like a knife's sharpened edge. The world about him shuddered like a rippling pond.

_Run little brother._

_Run as fast and as far as your magic will carry you._

_Nothing will save you now._

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

"I too, can be cruel my lady." Sang the Raven King, from somewhere amidst the cavernous obscurity of the oubliette. His honeyed voice trickled along the walls like creeping malfeasance, promising pain in the most pleasant manner.

Beneath her tattered gown, Sarah shivered. She looked up, although she couldn't see a finger's breadth away from her face. He was in here with her, tormenting her with cold, dark and fear. Her dress was torn from trying to climb out of her prison. The walls of this oubliette were crisscrossed with perilously sharp rocks. Already her hands and knees were sore and bleeding from scratching for purchase. Her knees were in a similar state from falling countless times to an unforgivingly rough floor. Once, she almost had a bit of leverage. Felt her foot find an appropriate niche to begin her climb, only to slip on a jagged stone. She spilled back to the ground with bone shattering force, tearing the front of her gown beyond any possible repair.

She was sure she'd sprained her ankle, as well as her wrist bone in the fall.

She bit her lip bloody to keep from crying out.

It would do absolutely zero good to show any weakness.

The Raven King, while completely bat shit crazy, was also about as sympathetic as a pair of garden sheers. He laughed merrily at her foolish attempt to escape.

Lacking any energy to stand, she decided it would be better to sit still and think her way out of this. Where was Jareth? How was it possible for the Raven King to take her anywhere Underground without him knowing about it? Just what powers did this unmitigated ass have that could keep her hidden from the Goblin King himself? She sighed, repressing the pained moan that threatened to escape her lips.

"Have we established that I'm not to be trifled with, my lady?" His irritatingly teasing voice crept out of the gloom.

"So far, the only thing I've established is that you lack any imagination. The oubliette has been done before, you know. Only Jareth's much better at using it."

"Really?" A hint of acid crept into his tone. "How so?"

She laughed, then winced when she realized she must have cracked something in her ribcage too. Several shallow breaths later, she forced a smile she was sure he could see. "Well for one thing, he doesn't exactly hang around to have a chat with his victims. As far as I'm concerned, you can go ahead and skip to the _forgetting_ portion of this little party."

She felt a rustling to her right. He was beside her. She sat very, very still.

"Forget you, lady? The mighty Sarah? Not hardly. I find this much more enjoyable, thank you. Now, here I thought I was being gentlemanly. How foolish of me."

She didn't so much as twitch an eyelash. He was so close…just a little closer. "Gentlemanly?" She gave a short snap of laughter. The pain in her ribs was palpable. "I think, _amateurish_ might be a better term. Don't you?" Feeling him press yet nearer, she continued.

Closer…closer.

"I mean, _Jareth_ doesn't confuse lack of skill with good manners. He's damned _ruthless_ when he needs to be. You should ask him for lessons."

Icy fingers dug into the bruised flesh at her elbow. She winced inwardly but grit her teeth against the pain. "Would you truly like the benefit of my full attention Sarah? Because, as you say, I'm terribly out of practice and am rarely afforded with such an _appreciative_ subject." His grip tightened enough that any second, she might hear a bone crack. His breath was hot against her ear. "Does this hurt, my lady?" He inquired flippantly, knowing very well that it did. White hot spears bolted through her limited vision. She couldn't suppress a gasp.

Catching a valuable breath, Sarah turned toward his voice. "No but this will." Before the last syllable left her lips, she paid him a very special compliment her Uncle James had taught her when she was little. Being from Scotland, he like all young ruffians of a certain age practiced a kindly maneuver known as a 'Glasgow Kiss'. Sarah had been expelled from school twice for using on those who made it a habit to pick on her.

Gareth's finely chiseled nose met with the solid portion of her forehead. She put everything she had into the blow, making sure to hit him hard enough that she could hear the rear of his skull strike the rocks behind them. A sharp grunt accompanied a horrible splitting sound, like a mallet striking an over-ripe melon. A howl of rage, laced with a considerable amount of pain was her thrilling reward.

Sarah smiled through the ache in her head. "How's that for a fight? You fucking coward."

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Cliffie! Hahahaha! Sorry this was so short but I'm trying not to spoil the tension here. Things are about to get very interesting! Till next time folks!


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, don't sue._

_A/N: For those of you new to my peculiar writing habits, let me assure you that I do know what I'm doing. We mustn't let a story get too mushy, right?_

_Besides, the Raven King (though he is unpopular as I expected) has been a planned character for as long as I've been writing this story. Meaning, he has a good purpose. You'll just have to be patient;)_

_Oh and btw (to those of you who flamed the last chapter), I am NOT a fan of weak-willed, simpering, puffball Sarah's who are constantly in need of rescue. So if that is the sort you were looking for, read a milksop fic. You won't find her here. Stop bitching about it already. Eeesh._

**Chapter 18:**

The castle beyond the Goblin City quaked and rumbled with the roiling earth beneath it. Bits of masonry tumbled from its parapets, landing haphazardly amidst the screaming, fleeing denizens of its mighty walls. A pitch black, foreboding sky blew such a tempest upon them, one might think the apocalypse was nearing. Whatever that was.

Raging winds, hissed down at these scurrying creatures, as if disdaining their cowardice. Shrubbery, flowers and all other loose objects swirled into the violent air; causing quite a bit of debris to impede their flight.

From the wide opened Castle doors, Ria frowned like a dagger.

Bleeding cowards, they were.

They had no respect for his majesty, they didn't.

Running away from their posts like lowly vermin. All 'cause a wee storm scared them out of their boots. Drunken, useless ninnies!

She sniffed. Well not her.

She wouldn't be scared off so easily. She at least knew what was happening here. She was a smart goblin, to be sure. Smart enough to remember the last time something like this had happened. Last time, the whole world around him seemed to collapse in upon itself. The Labyrinth crumbled, light vanished from the sky for weeks on end, and worst of all was the bitterly, frigidly cold. The bone-jarring, mind-numbing shivers followed wherever his majesty walked. Vicious, grasping winds: the death of all foliage in the Labyrinth to an unbearable frost.

Ria had witnessed this all before, she had.

Last time, was about five years earlier.

When a certain dark haired temptress rejected her fine king and turned his whole world to ashes. It had been months before his majesty was his usual, cold, disdainful self again. Damn that girl's green eyes! Ria had had to watch him suffer. Had to nurse his poor bones through it all. She had to force him to eat, drink and bathe. He'd been like a dead thing, he had.

And Ria was probably the only one who remembered it at all.

Looking at the swirling arctic sky overhead; she knew his majesty was in another snit.

Hands on hips, she waited in the doorway, determined to be the only goblin not leaving her post. So the fine missy had rejected him again, had she? The skinny nit would certainly benefit from a few good wallops from one of Ria's heavy wooden ladles; the selfish little tart. How did such an undeserving wretch earn the love of such a fine man, only to toss it aside like so much rubbish? Careless, was what his Sarah was. Careless and thoughtless, indeed.

One thing Ria was certain of, the little trollop didn't deserve _her_ Goblin King, make no mistake! As soon as she got her hands on the girl, she would squeeze the life out of her, she would!

"Ria." Came his majesty's voice from directly behind her. Eliciting a surprised gasp, she nearly jumped out into the chaos outside. "Majesty! Yer here! What on earth have ye done?" She stammered, hand flying to her ample chest. His eyes met hers from the shadows. Her next question expired on her tongue. His majesty looked positively poisonous, his eyes flashing unnatural colors, both dark and furiously bright. His dark attire, seemed to infect the rest of his person. His normally silver-blonde hair, was tainted with obsidian black and blood-red strands. He melted into the shadows, a part of them now more than ever before. His skin, so starkly pale against all that darkness. Ria's hand flew to her mouth. She had never seen him like this. She knew his appearance generally accommodated his mood but now…now her king just looked, _sinister._

The black and red bits in his hair threatened to overtake the rest, smallish streaks of each color framed his eyes, making their glowing fury all the more intimidating. One leather bound glove reached out to her, the shadow came with it…stretching toward her face, obscuring all light. The little goblin woman was afraid of him! She couldn't help it.

For the very first time since she'd found him in the wilderness as a babe; she was _cowering_ from him.

"What have ye done?" She whispered again, hands shaking.

Mutinous eyes flicked over her briefly. "Where," He began, his voice carrying a storm within it's tenor. Ria flinched. "Where is the Faerie Queen's lackey?"

What had become of him?

Surely even spoiled Sarah couldn't bring this out of him?

This was…_nightmarish_.

"Ria, do not test my patience." That venomous sound demanded from his vocal chords. The walls around her began to line with curving fissures and cracks. The floor under her modestly shoed feet trembled with his tone.

He could mean only one creature.

Fiona's little homunculus.

The very same faerie who'd caused all of these events to take place, of course. She was responsible for giving that ungrateful girl such undeserved powers. The world was falling down around them because of _her_, Ria was sure.

Etain.

The faerie leader.

"Etain, Ria. You will tell me where to find her and quickly."

In spite of her personal feelings on the matter, Ria was afraid of what would happen to the diminutive little female if she gave her whereabouts to his majesty.

But the look in his eyes brooked no arguments.

In fact, the look seemed to _thirst_ for a reason to unleash his barely contained temper, on anyone foolish enough to provoke it.

She swallowed. Without malice, Ria gave him the information he wanted and could only pray he wouldn't cause her to regret it for the rest of her days.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Sarah woke up, not quite sure she knew where she was.

Her hands clutched at the bedsheets she rested on. The material was soft, yielding, warm. With a heavy sigh, she buried her head once more in their refreshing softness. Her head ached something awful. Her wrist, elbows, knees and even her feet; sympathized with her skull. Her poor fingers stung from the hundred or so cuts and scrapes running up and down her hands.

Wincing, she resisted the urge to cradle them against her chest.

Speaking of her chest.

Why wasn't she clothed?

She sat bolt upright, clutching the soft sheet against her nudity like a flimsy shield. Even holding such soft materials hurt like hell. Her eyes watered with the pain.

"You know, I had planned to torture to you the point of death. A fair repayment for the injury you've inflicted on me. But I don't think I could do a better job than you've managed to accomplish on your own."

Gareth.

Her head snapped around, eyes narrowing to arrow slits. She wound the sheet so tightly against her body, it would surely merge with her skin. Her tongue thickened in her throat. Speech with this rotting, miserable excuse for a man would only pollute her mouth. She deliberately turned away, seething. She refused to play anymore of his games.

"Oh you needn't worry Sarah." He teased, sitting casually on the edge of the bed. She felt her heart speed up at his nearness, afraid that at any moment he would surely lunge at her. "I haven't laid a hand on you. Yet, anyway. One of my servants removed your damp rags and burned them. They were hardly fit for anything save kindling. Besides, I'd rather like to see you in something more, risqué. I'm having something made for you as we speak."

She said nothing, just stared at the wall next to her as if fascinated with each crack and crevice she spied. She felt him move closer, she recoiled as far as she was able. She would be damned if he would touch her again. She covered the side of her face with a bruised and scabbing hand.

He tsked. "Come you silly girl. Do you mean to say you are suddenly afraid of me?" He baited. She could hear the humor in his voice as readily as an alarm bell. Her green eyes alighted on his like twin green bonfires.

"How's the head Gary?" She mocked, keeping her tone as flippant as possible. She saw a frown pull down the corners of his too pretty mouth. She forced a coquettish smile over hers.

"A bloody sight better than the rest of _you_, I'd say." He snarled, dragging her toward him by the sheet. His was face thunderous. She squealed, kicking out at him with wounded ankles. He brushed them aside brutally, forcing a full scream from her mouth. One iron-hard arm snaked around her damaged waist, applying pressure to the most sensitive spot. Her vision blurred, eyes watering uselessly.

"You damned foolish girl! What you've done was_ very_ stupid! If you were any other…I would have flayed the skin directly from your lovely bones with my own hands! You mustn't flirt with death so, my lady. You may achieve what you seek."

His grip on her upper arm was breath-stealing. As if he sensed that she was near unconscious with pain, his fingers loosened. At once while she gasped for air, she felt those appendages slide along the exposed column of her throat and into her loosened hair. Repulsed but helpless against the probing, she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed for a new burst of strength to pummel his face with.

"It's been so long since I held a woman." He mused, threading strands of her hair between his palm and forefinger. "Especially one of your considerable beauty."

"Go to hell." She spat, yanking her head to the side, losing a few strands of her hair in the process. He laughed, the sick bastard.

"With pride, my lady. Where do you think you are, after all?" He leaned closer, obviously enjoying her revulsion of him. "I find it incredibly amusing that you consistently harm yourself to spite me. Is it really so distasteful to be near me?"

If she had any saliva in her parched throat, she would give him an eyeful. Instead she met his amused, amethyst eyes with all the hatred she could summon.

He smiled, his face guarded. "I see." Slowly, he withdrew. His back to her, he leaned against a stone bedpost. He crossed his arms over his chest with a thick sigh. "A pity. That's also a first for me, ironically."

He sounded like an insecure teenage boy who'd just been turned down for the first time. She thought she might puke.

"Get used to it. Generally, forcing yourself on a woman will have that effect."

He turned toward her, one silky black eyebrow raised. "Your honor is under no immediate threat, lady. You didn't be so caustic about it. All the harm you've suffered, you've done to yourself. My wishing to touch your hair, should in no way be confused with violating your body. Though, I think we both know…did I want to abuse you in such a way, it wouldn't be very difficult. Would it?"

Probably not, she was miserable to admit to herself.

Oh God, where was Jareth?

Why hadn't he found her yet.

Bitter, frightened tears threatened to spill out of her eyes.

"What the hell do you want then?"

His smile darkened. "Your first observation was correct, lady. It _is_ the Great Goblin King that I mean to make bow, not you. You're just a fascinating and far too stubborn means to an end. Nothing more. You may as well cease your genuflecting, for I will not harm you."

She blinked back at him. "Well, why do you need me then? Why not just challenge him yourself?"

"Because, I owe him." His perfect, smooth face turned toward her with a sad smile. "Love will drive him to terrible depths. He will destroy his own kingdom to find you, though it will be useless. By the time I'm done with you, you'll have forgotten everything you feel for him."

She didn't like the sound of that one bit. Besides, it would be impossible. Not even Jareth himself had that sort of power over her mind and heart. What he had of her, she gave to him willingly. "You're a little touched in the head aren't you? You can't force him from my heart you know."

"Of course I know that. I wouldn't have it any other way. You will thrust him aside yourself."

Her eyes narrowed so deeply, that only a sliver of green stared back at him. Her hands clenched against the sheet. "How do you propose to accomplish that?"

"In two days, your wager with Jareth will expire Sarah. Did you forget? The very bargain that brought you back Underground?" He waved his hand dismissively. "Allow me to remind you. You were meant to rule Jareth's kingdom for one month's time."

"How do you know…" She began.

"The whole of the Underground knows, lady. Jareth made you his queen long before he came to fetch you." He smirked at her startled expression. "Oh, you didn't know? You've been laboring under a gross misapprehension it seems."

Her face went white. "What do you mean? He declared me his queen in the throne room that day…"

"No. You truly are simple, poor thing. My brother does nothing by half. He manipulated you from the very beginning." He moved closer, giving her the benefit of a smug smile. "No mortal can traverse the Underground twice Sarah. It's a rule not even we Fae can alter. Once you stepped back into his Labyrinth, you were doomed to never return home. The Goblin King meant to steal you back to his side, one way or the other. Your possible victory over him was never a viable option."

Sarah's hands shook. She tried to swallow but her throat was too dry. "You lie." She whispered, though deep down, she could hear truth ringing in his voice. Jareth couldn't have…wouldn't have done this to her. Would he? He loved her and she him! She was going to stay with him, she'd decided long before she knew it.

But.

But if Jareth knew she could never go home again, would he have shared it with her willingly? Let her make her decision on her own? Or would he lie to her, manipulate her to get her to stay?

"The faeries…"

Gareth threw his head back and laughed. "Oh that wasn't his idea lady, though it certainly served his purpose. _I_ sent Etain to meet you. That much is my fault, to be sure. Although, your having power that belongs strictly to yourself must gnaw at him. That wasn't part of his plan at all. You were meant to be beholden only to him, need only him. He wished to keep you oblivious to all else except his own selfish urges. You don't have to thank me for the faeries. Consider them a gift."

She had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to say. Her heart screamed at her to defend the one she loved, pleaded with her not to forget how much he meant to her. How much she clearly meant to him. His love for her was no lie, despite his dishonest machinations. He was terrified of losing her, true. What would she do without him?

And yet…what was love without trust?

He'd held her in his arms, witnessing the depth of her grief at losing Toby, her family, her friends…her whole life. Comforted her, made love to her.

All the while knowing that he purposefully engineered its loss, forever.

The whole time, all these weeks. He knew she couldn't go home and had purposefully kept it from her.

"It's true I meant to frighten you. It's my nature." He whispered, apologetically. His long dark hair falling over his brow as he lowered his eyes. "It's fact that you can't go home, sweet Sarah. But I can offer you power enough to take your revenge. I can give you such power, that you've never dreamed of. You can punish him for his lies, for the theft of your own life. I can do this for you and so much more, if you'll only allow me."

Sarah's emotions were in an uproar.

He'd _lied_ to her!

Lied about everything!

He kidnapped her, knowing she would never see her family again.

Her poor baby brother! Toby, his blue eyes and pale hair…gone forever. She'd won him home only to lose him forever and all of it because Jareth meant to have his way!

Harsh, hot tears spilled freely down her cheeks. Her aching body racked with mournful sobs. Her smallish shoulders quaking.

Lies and lies!

She felt a cool hand slide over the skin at the nape of her neck.

"Don't touch me!" She erupted, forcefully striking his hand away from her. "You're no better than he is! You're both rotten, lying bastards the pair of you!"

His grip on her neck tightened, pulling her roughly to face his blazing purple eyes. "You're absolutely right, my Queen." His lips pulled back in a vicious smirk. "I am all that he is and worse. But I _am_ honest. Which is more than I can say for my brother. I will no more set you free than he would, though, I will give you so much more in return. You are more mine now than you've ever been his. By accepting my little faerie gift, you've taken part of my power. That makes you part of _me_. Can your deceptive Jareth boast as much?"

The fire was going out of her. She swallowed her broken heart with a bitter tongue. "Please, let me go." She pleaded softly. His burning gaze swept her battered face, down the length of her barely concealed, trembling body. He softened his grip, ever so slightly.

"Jareth owes me a queen, lady. I won't apologize for finding you so…appealing. Though, I won't touch you in that way until you ask it of me."

Which she never would.

A spark of her old defiance flashed in her eyes.

She would be damned if either of them touched her ever again.

_So the Labyrinth's a piece of cake? Well let's see how you deal with this little slice._

She would Jareth, oh she would.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Her broken wing, battered and dangling queerly from her backbone, sent searing, unbearable pain throughout her body. The stone that collapsed atop her would not be budged, no matter her effort. Tiny, glittering tears spilled down her chin. There was nothing she could do. She was trapped.

Whatever cataclysm was occurring outside the castle, was steadily destroying it and everything around it…little by little.

Etain was caught in the elements, the wind forcing her aground. It was then that the loosened rock fell on her, breaking her wing and perhaps permanently ruining her ability to fly. That was of course, if she lived through the onslaught pummeling into the Labyrinth.

Whimpering, she lay her head on the dampened earth and wept.

She had failed her queen.

Foolish, foolish sprite!

What torture to finally find a worthy queen, only to fail her at the most crucial moment. Fiona would be ashamed of her little Etain, if she could see her now. Etain had failed Sarah just the same. She was useless. A mere decoration, designed to spoil whatever she touched. The Raven King always said so. And what was worse; he was right.

The Raven King, the ruler of shadows and wraiths, master of dead things; took Sarah from them all, just as he'd taken Fiona all those centuries ago. Sweet, golden haired Fiona. The gentlest person the Underground had ever seen. The very girl who'd bartered her freedom to rescue a band of miserable faeries, whose sole purpose was to collect the souls of the dead for the mercurial king of ravens.

Etain's sobs were muffled by the raging air around her. She folded in on herself, tucking her tiny knees against her chest, wishing for death to seek her now.

Beautiful, daring Sarah. She would fare no better against the lord of shadows. Etain tried to tell her, so many times. Wanted to scream the warning for all she was worth, if it would only protect her lady. But she had no voice to speak his name. He'd stolen the ability. Made sure that there could never be such a warning.

Her only hope had been the Goblin King.

Surely his love could protect her? Would shield her from the Raven King's dark vengeance: as he tried to do for Fiona?

Fiona who'd loved the elder of the two brothers, though he never returned those feelings. Was that why his brother sought to take Sarah from him? Because he never truly held Fiona's heart?

"Well what have we here?" The Lord of the Labyrinth whispered so coldly, the air temperature itself dropped to match it. Etain's breath frosted instantly, what little she had anyway. She could do nothing to defend herself now. She awaited his wrath with a helpless wail.

"Stop that keening, Etain. If I'd come to kill you, you would already be dead." Said his majesty, kneeling. The rock's pressure suddenly relieved; Etain shivered.

Looking up into his shifting, furious eyes. She swallowed. "I am at your mercy, your highness. I beg you to kill me, as I have failed my mistress horribly."

His dark expression frightened her to her very bones. "Yes you have, Etain. Yes, you have. But, I would offer you the opportunity to redeem yourself."

She shook her diminutive head. "That I can never do."

"I'll be the judge of that. You may start by telling me where he has taken her."

"I don't know, your majesty."

A threatening flash of lightning crashed into the earth beside her prone form. She cried out, terrified. "I don't believe you. Don't make me ask again."

"We have been stripped of that knowledge, majesty! I would give my life for her, I swear it!"

The air thickened to a crushing density. His dangerous, unstable eyes lowered. Suddenly in the palm of his hand, she was forced to meet that gaze. "You're body will remember, even if your mind will not. Did you think that my powers weren't a match for his?"

Etain's head sunk to her abdomen. She was so ashamed. "If it will save her majesty, do what you will."

His laugh was bitter, frigid. "I wasn't asking permission Etain. I was merely warning you, for Sarah's sake. She wouldn't be pleased. This will hurt quite a bit, I'm afraid." He assured her.

Quivering in fear, she believed him.

Oh, she believed him.

But it was no more than what she deserved.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

_Night kiddies! See you after Halloween!_


	19. Break

Addendum. 18:35

Okay, sorry to disappoint here but I had a few things to clear up…so I thought I'd take a little time out to talk to you guys about it.

Yes, I am a mean bitchy person who responds poorly to negative Personal Messages. No, I in no way imagined ANY of your wonderful reviews were in anyway rude or out-of-context. My skin isn't that thin, eesh.

My comment last chapter, was directed at a person who only sends me reviews in PM and has done so for several chapters. I tried to block their account, informed the staff about abuse and even warned them that they might be deleted from the site.

Haven't heard from them this chapter, so I think they might've taken the hint.

So anyway, my note at the beginning of last chapter was directed at ANYONE who logs into this site just to take the piss out of other aspiring writers. It's not cool. I don't dig it and I'm fairly sure none of you do either, if you've ever experienced it that is (which I hope not, it's aggravating). Basically, I pissed this nutbag off, so they kept logging in just to mess with me. Bout it really.

None of you have, could or would have offended me…ever. That is unless you have an alter-ego that I don't know about…and if that's the case, we should be writing stories about _you._ Because that might make for an interesting story. Haha.

I apologize if I offended anyone, it wasn't intentional.

-MDS


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